bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alice in the Middle East (Alice ME)
Authors: Razak Saquib
Published: November 2013

We will present an overview and in-progress report of a QNRF-sponsored project for research in the effects of using program visualization in teaching and learning computational thinking. Computers and computing have made possible incredible leaps of innovation and imagination in solving critical problems such as finding a cure for diseases, predicting a hurricane's path, or landing a spaceship on the moon. The modern economic conditions of countries around the world are increasingly related to their ability to adapt to the digital revolution. This, in turn, drives the need for educated individuals who can bring the power of computing-supported problem solving to an increasingly expanded field of career paths. It is no longer sufficient to wait until students are in college to introduce computational thinking. All of today's students will go on to live in a world that is heavily influenced by computing, and many of these students will work in fields that involve or are influenced by computing. They must begin to work with algorithmic problem solving and computational methods and tools in K-12. Many courses taught in K-12 (for example, math and science) teach problem solving and logical thinking skills. Computational thinking embodies these skills and brings them to bear on problems in other fields and on problems that lie at the intersection of these fields. In the same way that learning to read opens a gateway to learning a multitude of knowledge, learning to program opens a gateway to learning all things computational. Alice is a programming environment designed to enable novice programmers in creating 3-D virtual worlds, including animations and games. In Alice, 3-D models of objects (e.g., people, animals and vehicles) populate a virtual world and students use a drag and drop editor to manipulate the movement and activities of these objects. Alice for the Middle East - "Alice ME" is a research project funded by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) under their National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) that aims to modify the well-known Alice introductory programming software to be internationally and culturally relevant for the Middle East. In this project, we are working on developing new 3D models that provide animation objects encountered in daily lives (animals, buildings, clothing, vehicles, etc.) as well as artifacts that reflect and respect the heritage of Qatari culture. The new models will provide characters and images that enable students to create animations that tell the stories of local culture, thereby supporting the QNV 2030 aspiration for maintaining a balance between modernizations and preserving traditions. We are also working with local schools to develop an ICT curriculum centered on using Alice to help students learn computational thinking. We are also designing workshops to train teachers in using Alice and delivering this curriculum.
Awareness of the farmers about effective delivery of farm information by ICT mediated extension service in Bangladesh
Authors: Momen Miah Abdul
Published: November 2013

The main focus of the study was to find out the level of awareness about effectiveness of ICT mediated extension service in disseminating farm information to the farmers. The factors influencing awareness of the farmers and the problems faced by the farmers in getting farm information were also explored. Data were collected from a sample of 100 farmers out of 700. A structured interview schedule and check list were used in collection of data through face to face interviewing and focus group discussion (FGD) from the farmers during May to June 2013. The awareness was measured by using a 4 point rating scale and appropriate weights were assigned to each of the responses and by adding the weights awareness score was calculated. Thus, the awareness score of the respondents ranged from 16 to 50 against the possible range of 0 to 64. The effectiveness of ICT was considered based on amount of information being supplied, acceptability of information, usage of information and outcome/benefit by using information by the farmers. About three-fourths (74 percent) of the farmers had moderate awareness while almost one fourth (23 percent) having low and only 3 percent had high awareness about effective delivery of farm information by ICT centers. The level of education, farm size, family size, annual income, training exposure, organizational participation and extension media contact of the farmers were significantly correlated with their awareness about effective delivery of farm information. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that out of 9, four variables such as organizational participation, annual income, farm size and family size of the farmers combined accounted for 47.90 percent of the total variation regarding awareness of effective delivery of farm information. Rendering inadequate services of field extension agents, Frequent power disruption, Lack of skilled manpower (extension agents) at ICT centers, Lack of training facilities for the farmers, Poor supervision and monitoring of field extension activities by the superior officers were the major problems mentioned by the farmers for effective dissemination of farm information by ICT mediated extension service. Key words: Awareness, ICT mediated extension service, effective delivery
Face Detection Using Minimum Distance with Sequence Procedure Approach
Authors: Hamdy Sayed
Published: November 2013

In recent years face recognition has received substantial attention from both research communities and the market, but still remained very challenging in real applications. A lot of face recognition algorithms, along with their modifications, have been developed during the past decades. A number of typical algorithms are presented, being categorized into appearance based and model-based schemes. In this paper we will represent a new method for face detection called Minimum Distance Detection Approach (MDDA) . The obtained results clearly confirm the efficiency of the developed model as compared to the other methods in terms of Classification accuracy. It is also observed that the new method is a powerful feature selection tool which has indentified a subset of best discriminative features. Additionally, the proposed model has gained a great deal of efficiency in terms of CPU time owing to the parallel implementation. In this model we use a direct model for face detection without using unlabelled data. In this research we tarry to identify one sample from a group of unknown samples using a sequence of processes . The results show that this method is very effective when we use a large a sample of unlabelled data to detect on sample.
Analysis Of Energy Consumption Fairness In Video Sensor Networks
Authors: Sarif Bambang
Published: November 2013

The use of more effective processing tools such as advanced video codecs in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has enabled widespread adoption of video-based WSNs for monitoring and surveillance applications. Considering that in video-based WSN applications large amounts of energy resources are required for both compression and transmission of video content, optimizing the energy consumption is of paramount importance. There is a trade-off between the encoding complexity and compression performance in the sense that high compression efficiency comes at the expense of increased encoding complexity. On the other hand, there is a direct relationship between coding complexity and energy consumption. Since the nodes in a video sensor network (VSN) share the same wireless medium, there is also an issue with fairness of bandwidth allocation per each node. Nevertheless, the fairness of resource allocation (encoding and transmission energy) for nodes placed at different locations in VSNs has a significant effect on energy consumption. In our study, our objective is to maximize the lifetime of the network by reducing the consumption of the node with the maximum energy usage. Our research focuses on VSNs with linear topology where the nth node relays its data through the nth-1 node, and the node closest to the sink relays information from all the other nodes. In our approach, we analyze the relation between the fairness of nodes' resource allocation, video quality and VSNs' energy consumption to propose an algorithm for adjusting the coding parameters and fairness ratio of each node such that energy consumption is balanced. Our results show that by allocating higher fairness ratios to the closest nodes to the sink, we reduce the maximum energy consumption and achieve a more balanced energy usuge. For instance, in the case of a VSN with six nodes, by allocating the fairness ratios between 0.17 to 0.3 to the closer nodes to the sink, the maximum energy consumption is reduced by 11.28%, with standard deviation of nodes' energy consumption (STDen) of 0.09W compared to 0.25W achieved by the maximum fairness scheme.
Culture embodied: An anthropological investigation of pregnancy (and loss) in Qatar
Authors: Kilshaw Susie , Sole Kristina , Al Tamimi Halima , El Taher Faten
Published: November 2013

This paper explores the emergent themes from the first stage of our cross cultural research (UK and Qatar) into pregnancy and pregnancy loss. This paper presents a culturally grounded representation of pregnancy and the experience of pregnant women in Qatar. In order to understand the experience of miscarriage in Qatar, it is necessary to first develop an ethnotheory of pregnancy. This research uses the approach and methods of medical anthropology. However, this project is particularly exciting because of its commitment to interdisciplinary research: the research is informed and led by our collaboration between anthropologists and medical doctors. Ethnographic methods provide an in-depth understanding of the experience of pregnancy and pregnancy loss. Our main method is semi structured interviews, but true to our anthropological foundation, we are combining this with other forms of data collection. We are observing clinical encounters (doctors appointments, sonography sessions) and conducting participant observation, such as accompanying women when they shop in preparation for the arrival of their baby. , The research is longitudinal and incorporates 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Qatar. Part of this is following 20 pregnant women throughout their pregnancy to better understand their developing pregnancy, their experience of pregnancy, the medical management of the pregnant body, and the development of fetal personhood. Women are interviewed on several occasions but we are also in contact for more informal knowledge sharing. 40 women who have recently miscarried (40 in Qatar and 40 in the UK) will also be interviewed. However, this paper will focus on our first cohort: pregnant Qatari women. After 6 months of fieldwork in Qatar, we have discovered a number of emergent themes which help us to better understand the social construction of pregnancy in Qatar. This will then allow us to better understand what happens when a pregnancy is unsuccessful. Here we develop a culturally specific representation of pregnancy in Qatar including: the importance of fetal environment on the developing fetus and cultural theories of risk (evil eye, food avoidance). Issues around risk and blame are explored, as these will likely be activated when a pregnancy is unsuccessful. We also look at the experience of pregnancy and how this is impacted upon by past experiences of pregnancy loss (both stillbirth and miscarriage). The importance of motherhood in Qatar is considered, as it is a central concern for our participants. By exploring these themes we are developing a better understanding of the experience of pregnancy in Qatar, which will enable us to shed light on the impact of pregnancy loss on the mother and those around her.
Geolocated video in Qatar: A media demonstration research project
Authors: Pavlik John , Vance Robert E.
Published: November 2013

Geolocated video represents an opportunity for innovation in journalism and media. Reported here are the results of a proof-of-concept research project demonstrating and assessing the process of creating geolocated video in journalism and media. Geolocated refers to tagging video or other media content with geographic location information, usually obtained from GPS data. Geolocation is a growing feature of news and media content. It is being used increasingly in photographs and social media, including Twitter posts. Geolocation in video is a relatively new application. Employing a proof-of-concept method, this project demonstrates how geolocated video (using Kinomap technology) serves several purposes in news and media (see Figure 1). First, geolocation allows the content to be automatically uploaded to Google Earth or other mapping software available online. This enables others anywhere to access that content by location. It is an aspect of Big Data, in that it permits mapping or other analysis of geolocated content. Such analysis can reveal a variety of insights about the production of media content. Second, geolocation, in concert with other digital watermarking, provides a useful tool to authenticate video. Geolocation in a digital watermark is a valuable tool to help establish the veracity of video or other content. Geolocation can help document when and where video produced by users or freelancers or even professionally employed reporters covering a sensitive story was captured. Reporters (or lay-citizens) providing smartphone video of an event can use geolocation to help establish time, date and location. Third, geolocation supports freelance media practitioners in protecting copyright or intellectual property rights by helping provide a strong digital watermark that includes their identity and the precise time, date and location the video was captured. Fourth, geolocated video represents an opportunity for a new approach to storytelling including in digital maps. Geolocated videos have been produced and made available on Google Earth. Viewing can occur immersively with mobile or wearable devices (e.g., augmented reality, Google Glass). This project aligns with three of the Qatar Research Grand Challenges. First, it supports Culture, Arts, Heritage, Media and Language within the Arabic Context, providing a medium to foster investment in the nation's legacy in Arabic arts, design, architecture, and cultural programs. Second, it supports Holistic and Systematic Assessment of the Rapidly Changing Environment, exploring the roles of communication (e.g., education, journalism, traditional and social media channels) in fostering awareness of social issues. Third, it supports Sustainable Urbanization-Doha as a smart city, demonstrating a state-of-the-art communications technology especially effective and efficient in facilitating location-based communications challenges and needs.
Investigating the Influence of professional development on student-centered instructional practices in Qatari independent schools
Authors: Ikhlef Atmane
Published: November 2013

In 2002, Qatar established key elements of educational reform, known as "Education for a New Era", including curriculum standards, emphasis on student -centered classrooms where students actively engage in inquiry, problem solving, critical thinking, and extensive professional development for teachers. The present study is a part of a three year QNRF funded research project which involved two major phases. The first phase of the research project was primarily descriptive and involved a sample of 67 teachers and approximately 1150 students randomly selected from 17 independent schools. The research in this baseline phase depicted the classroom instructional strategies implemented in response to Qatari educational reform goals, and described the extent to which students in Qatari Independent elementary schools engaged in self-regulated learning. The second phase of the research which is the focus of this study used a quasi-experimental design to investigate the influence of specifically designed professional development modules, which were developed based on the initial baseline data, targeting improvement of student-centered teaching and learning in classrooms. The study sample consisted of 47 teachers and 1000 students. Overall, the results in this study suggest that the reforms related to student-centered instruction in Qatar are not fully implemented and unlikely at this point to foster student self-regulation. The implications of the study findings for the implementation of reform and professional development in Qatar were discussed.
MEFV gene mutation detection in Arab patients
Authors: Taha Rowaida
Published: November 2013

MEFV Gene Mutation Detection In Arabic Patients With Familial Mediterranean Fever Rowaida Taha1, Suheil Ayesh2, Abdulghani Kohilan1, Vasiliki Chini1, Marios Kambouris 1,3, Hatem El-Shanti 1,4 1Shafallah Medical Genetics Center, Doha, Qatar, 2Gene Medical Labs, Gaza, Palestinian Territory, 3Yale University School of Medicine, Genetics, New Haven CT, USA, 4University of Iowa, Pediatrics, Iowa City, IA, USA Auto-inflammatory diseases are characterized by inflammation in the absence of high-titer autoantibodies or antigen-specific T cells. Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the archetypal hereditary autosomal recessive periodic fever syndrome and auto-inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent self-limiting episodes of fever and painful polyserositis. It is most often found in families of Mediterranean ancestry, especially non-Ashkenazi Jews, Armenians, Turks, and Arabs. The offending MEFV gene localizes at Hsa 16p, encodes the pyrin or marenostrin protein, it is highly polymorphic with multiple disease causing mutations and normal polymorphisms. In Arabic FMF patients the spectrum and distribution of MEFV mutations are distinctive and the portion of unidentified mutations [50%] is the highest amongst the groups commonly affected by FMF. The MEFV genomic region in 100 hundred Palestinian patients with clear FMF symptomatology consistent with the clinical diagnostic criteria and with only one identified pathogenic mutation was screened to identify the second pathogenic mutation as well as coding and non-coding variations, large duplications or deletions and intronic variations. Mutation analyses involved sequencing of exons and splice sites, sequencing putative regulatory regions by using Long range PCR, Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) to detect large deletions or duplications, and sequencing of the entire genomic region of MEFV. No second pathogenic mutation was identified in any of the samples by sequencing MEFV exons and splice sites, as well as putative regulatory regions. MLPA did not detect any large MEFV genomic deletions or duplications. Twenty different rare intronic variants (each identified in 1-3 patients) and were not present in about 700 ethnically matched control chromosomes. The biological significance of these variations could not be determined. There is strong evidence of preferential amplification of one allele over the other due to extensive polymorphism within the genomic sequence that would account for the lack of detection of the second pathogenic mutation. Alternatively, the effects of modifier genes or other loci that influence the clinical picture of FMF in Arabic populations can not be excluded. The comprehensive identification of MEFV mutant alleles among FMF patients is essential for the efficient examination of specific genotype - phenotype correlation patterns and for development of molecular tools to support the clinical diagnosis.
Discovery Of One Of The Largest Whale Shark Aggregation Sites In The World Off The Coast Of Qatar
Authors: Bach Steffen
Published: November 2013

Background: The Qatar Whale Shark Research Project is a collaboration of government, industry and academia founded in 2010 to investigate anecdotal reports by Maersk Oil platform workers of large numbers of whale sharks seen in the Al Shaheen Oil field, Qatar. Methods: Photo-ID records have been collected from 2011 to present. Satellite-linked and acoustic tags have both been deployed, and biochemical 'biological tags' are being collected through tissue sampling. Plankton samples and environmental information are routinely being recorded. Fixed-station platform observations are being reported daily by gas industry workers to establish seasonality and sighting trends. Results: Aggregations of 100+ whale sharks have been regularly reported in offshore Qatari waters between May and September. Molecular barcoding of plankton samples has shown that the sharks are feeding specifically on tuna spawn from the species Euthynnus affinis. The tuna are thought to gather and spawn in the area due to both the unintentional protection offered by oil and gas platforms and the artificial habitat created by the structures. Preliminary satellite and acoustic tagging results indicates that the sharks aggregate during the summer months and disperse in the winter, in conjunction with the tuna. None of the satellite-tagged sharks have left the Arabian Gulf, although photo-ID has matched sharks between Qatar and the Strait of Hormuz and northern Gulf of Oman. During the 2012 season, 226 left-side shark identities were recorded, with 24% of sexed sharks (n = 144) identified as female and 76% being male. Mean estimated length was 6.88 ± 1.37 m (n = 156; range 4-10 m). Conclusion: The Al Shaheen Oil Field off Qatar is host to a globally significant aggregation of whale sharks, driven by the presence of high densities of E. affinis tuna spawn. Preliminary tracking data suggests that the sharks stay in the Arabian Gulf throughout the year.
Giving two answers to the same question: Applying survey re-interviewing techniques in Qatar
Authors: Elawad Elmogiera
Published: November 2013

In order to evaluate the quality of its survey data, SESRI implemented since 2010 a system of re-interviewing a sub-sample of respondents. These re-interviews usually take place not more than six days from the date of the first interview for the original survey production. Results from these interviews are used as an instrument to analyze non-sampling error and to estimate response inconsistencies, to identify reasons for discrepancies for selected questions for the same respondents, as well as to determine interviewer cheating. Applying the Gross Difference Rate (GDR), Index of Inconsistency (IOI) and Reliability Rate (RR) to estimate variances in respondents' answers, this paper presents the results of the re-interviewing study of the 2012 Qataris' Attitudes Towards the Foreign Workers in Qatar. The results are intended for researchers and data collection organizations to improve the quality of data they collect and use.
The relationship between motivations, intention to gamble and gambling behaviour
Authors: Morris Mary
Published: November 2013

Recent research suggests a diverse range of motivational influences are involved in the decision to gamble and in the maintenance of gambling behaviour. However, to date, much of the existing research is cross sectional which prevents the temporal nature of gambling motivations and behaviour to be examined. To address this gap, the current longitudinal study surveyed 895 members from a community sample about their gambling behaviour and motivations to gamble at two time periods, twelve months apart. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was employed as a framework to model the respondents' beliefs about expected outcomes of gambling, perceptions of others gambling, erroneous beliefs, intention to gamble and gambling behaviour. Consistent with the assumptions of the TPB, beliefs about the outcomes of gambling, social perceptions and erroneous beliefs were related to the intention to gamble at time one. In addition, the predictive validity of the model was supported with gambling intention (time 1) predicting subsequent gambling frequency. Further analysis revealed gambling behaviour was equally as intentional for non at-risk gamblers (PGSI = 0) and those classified as at-risk gamblers (PGSI > 2). Furthermore, respondents' unplanned behaviour was partial explained by changes in gambling beliefs. Taken together, the current study suggests that the frequency of gambling is predominately intentional, despite the level of gambling involvement, and that changes in motivation correspond with changes in gambling behaviour.
A study of the role of women in family businesses in Qatar
Authors: Faisal Mohd Nishat
Published: November 2013

The importance of family businesses has been increasingly acknowledged in the academic literature. In recent times, Qatar is witnessing a big boost in education and women in particular have shown keen interest as corroborated by the increase in the number of registration in the Universities. But even after acquiring degrees at par with the males in the family, in general, women still encounter serious challenges in family businesses and they are traditionally found to be not participating in core activities of the business. The aim of the project was to study issues related to women in family businesses in Qatar. The project studied role of women in the family in business activities; entrepreneurial growth among women in the family; and the role of women in building goodwill for family business by participating in community and social issues.
Mining flikr for museum feedback: Case study on the Qatar Islamic Museum of Art
Authors: Cunningham Sally Jo
Published: November 2013

Museums are increasingly placing digital images of portions of their collections online. Weblogs of visits to these online 'digital museums' can then analysed to give the collection curators a sense of what portions of the digital collections are attracting the greatest degree of interest (as coarsely measured by 'hits' on images). Some sites support commenting by viewers, and these comments also can be useful in gaining insight into the interests of the viewers [1] and can be 'mined' to suggest additional useful metadata for the collection [2]. However, these digital museums generally include only a small fraction of the items on display in the physical museum. We propose a method for uncovering visitor interest across the entire physical museum's display, by 'mining' a public repository of personal photographs for photos taken during visits to the museum. The visitors can be assumed to take photos of those museum exhibits that has the highest personal impact on them—for example, if they find the item to be interesting, shocking, entertaining, or so forth. In this case study we examine photos of visits to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, as uploaded to Flickr. Specifically, we select a sample of 500 photos tagged with "Qatar Islamic Museum" (the keywords that appear to be most common for this museum). From that sample we manually categorized the images to be either photos of the museum itself, or photos of item(s) in the collection. For each of these base categories, we further downloaded and analysed the metadata applied by the photographer to the image, Comments that other Flickr users added, and the number of times that the image was Favorited by Flickr users. The photographs of collection items were further manually manually grouped and characterized by item type (eg, Ceramics, Tapestries, etc.). Where possible, multiple images of the same object were identified. These results of the manual analysis support an insight into the visitor experience to the Museum of Islamic Art. We also present a prototype of a 'control panel' for the Museum that will allow the Museum's curators to automate the process of downloading photos of the Museum and its collection, together with the Flickr metadata accessible through the Flickr API (Comments, Favorite counts, etc). This data is then displayed in an Excel spreadsheet together with the original photo, and macros support the curator in analysing the data. We argue that this system will support the curators in seeing the Museum from a visitor's point of view—to gain insights into what they enjoyed, valued, and connected with most strongly. [1] Cunningham, S.J., and Mahoui, M. 2013. Interacting with and through a digital library collection: Commenting behaviour in Flickr's The Commons. Proceedings of JCDL 2013, 23 - 26. [2] Momeni, El., Tao, K., Haslhofer, B., and Houben, G-J. 2013. Identification of useful user comments in social media: A case study on Flickr Commons. Proceedings of JCDL 2013, 4 - 12.
Effectivness of the use of ATP tournament to improve the city image by Doha and Dubai
Authors: Ishac Wadih
Published: November 2013

Background: Mega sports events are central stages that not only feature professional athletes representing their country in competing for excellence, but also provide host nations with a universally legitimate way to present and promote their national identities and cultures on a global scale. The members of the GCC, many of them geographically small with developing cities and physical infrastructures, have great financial resources due to their export of oil and gas. States, like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have been active in hosting, wanting to host, and inviting international sporting teams and institutions to hold mega sports events on their territory in an effort to raise their national profiles. Objective: Aim of the study is a comparison of the effect of hosting the ATP World Tour event by two different countries from the peninsula - Dubai and Doha. Specifically the investigation focuses on analysis of outcomes relative to input in terms of effect on the city image. The benefits from hosting these events on the image of the country are presented. Method: Improving the country image is difficult to quantify. Scoring system for media and social media are developed on which the country is mentioned in these sources. In the comparison I took several media resources to compare regionally, and internationally. A search for each host city was performed on CNN, BCC, The Official ATP tournament page, and the Middle East Newsstand database (proquest) in relation to the ATP tournament. A similar internet review was performed, specifying the time and the area (e.g. United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Spain, Serbia, and Sweden) to sample local news sources. Due to the growth of influence of the social media, coverage of the event was also analyzed in different social media outlets (Facebook, twitter, etc). Results: The results show a higher effect regionally than internationally, and international coverage was dependent on the presence of the big name players. In terms of coverage in the press and online, Dubai is more cited than Doha. Overall, Dubai is getting more benefit than Doha because its event is twice as important as Doha's tennis event in terms of ATP ranking. Conclusions: Both cities started hosting the tournament in the same year, improved ATP world ranking, which was result in more international publicity and improve its image around the World. Doha may wish to learn from Dubai example.
The problematic decline of the humanities in today's financial markets
Authors: Lea David
Published: November 2013

This paper approaches the decline in the study and teaching of the of the humanities within the university context from a financial perspective. As humanities departments are either closed down or have their curriculum attenuated, in the obvious sense we can say that the revenue that was previously present to support such programs has been not been forthcoming. Accordingly, this paper argues that resources that could have supported the humanities have been available to the university but they have been applied elsewhere. These available resources have been applied to increasing the administration and ancillary support staff, and secondly, in support of the social sciences and increasing numbers of business and management programs. This paper links this decline to the growing financialization of the economy, the ideology of managerialism and a contemporary tradition that accords with the “procedures of the public realm of the market and of liberal individualistic politics”.
Inflation management strategies for Qatar
Authors: Razzak Weshah
Published: November 2013

Although a fixed nominal exchange rate regime acts as a nominal anchor it may not achieve domestic price stability. Monetary policy cannot target the exchange rate and domestic prices at the same time they are jointly determined. To manage inflation, the exchange rate has to be floating and price stability can be achieved by either discretion or by adhering to rules. There are a number of rules such as the Taylor rule (Taylor, 1993), where the central bank responds to deviation of inflation from a specified target level, demand, and possibly the current growth rate; targeting the price level, fixing the money growth rate (Friedman, 1968), or nominal GDP targeting (McCallum, 1988). We show that any of these policies in Qatar would have resulted in stable prices but with either higher interest rate or lower rate of growth of money that otherwise observed.
Adopting Literature in English Language Teaching Curriculum of EFL Students
Authors: barani razieh
Published: November 2013

This study aimed at investigating the use of poetry in Iranian EFL/ESL classrooms and its contribution to improving the proficiency of the students. Conducting a semi- experimental pre-test/post-test design, 44 Iranian undergraduate students of English language and literature of Ilam University were selected and assigned into experimental and control groups. Two samples of the Nelson English Language Test were used for the pre-tests and post-tests. The experimental group was taught how to make use of poetry in language learning, while the control group went on to study the prescribed syllabus planned at the beginning of the academic year. The findings revealed that the experimental group's proficiency improved significantly better than that of the control group. The results of the study also contribute to an understanding of the role of literature in language teaching and have implications for syllabus designers, material developers, and language teachers
Qatari Colloquial Arabic Quickly Changes Over Time
Authors: Al-Subaie Maryam
Published: November 2013

Languages are passed down through generations from parents to children by communication. Yet linguists find that languages (and varieties of languages) change over time - but at different rates. This study mainly aims at investigating semantic and word changes that took place in the Qatari colloquial Arabic over a period of thirty years. The research began by interviewing forty Qatari locals. The participants came from two age groups: (18-24 years) and (55-61 years) - this is to document change over time. The interview examined the presence of semantic changes in the Qatari colloquial Arabic. The linguistic variable in this study was a list of forty-five dialectical terms and expressions that were commonly used by adults 30 years ago. The second part of the research method included investigating the origin of each term from Kitab al-'Ayn (the first dictionary of the Arabic language) and Lisan Al Arab to confirm that they come from Arabic. The results of the research vary. The majority of the lexical items under investigation presented some form of change over the two generations; they showed phonetic, semantic as well as other types of change. There was also evidence of terms that were borrowed from languages such as Farsi, English and Urdo and incorporated into the Qatari local dialect, after undergoing phonetic change. Languages change for a variety of reasons. History reveals many examples of dialect change fuelled by migration/movement, colonization and economic growth. One finding of this research is that the vocabulary an individual uses nowadays is a social marker of age. An example of this includes the word ?????? )?ambalou?), meaning ambulance. This lexical item was borrowed from English before going through a phonological change, and users of this term tend to be from an older generation. The changes happening to the Qatari colloquial Arabic is an undocumented phenomenon. The study increases the awareness about the development of the language in the country and is a research platform for further investigation in the field.
Student Notes To Foster Teaching Enhancements In Learning The Qur'An: From The Lens Of Non-Arabic Speakers
Authors: Sappari Sherma
Published: November 2013

Student Notes to Foster Teaching Enhancements in Learning the Qur'an: From the Lens of Non-Arabic Speakers Background Proper recitation of the Qur'an requires learning the correct ma-kha-rij (exit: the point of articulation of each letter) of the Arabic letters. For adult non-Arabic students, this requires methodologies that suit their various attitude and learning styles. In usual practice, lessons are prepared by the teachers. They are the ones identifying and preparing the objectives, subject, methodology, and exercises. Students are taught as expressed in the teacher's plan. In a detailed lesson plan, however, student's responses are even ideally assumed or expected to be responded in a certain way. But have they considered asking their students how to teach them instead? This study explores how the adult non-Arabic speaking students learn the Qur'an. Specifically, it seeks to investigate adult learning attitudes and learning methods of non-Arabic speakers using their class notes. Methodology This study uses qualitative method through interview and classroom observation designs. It utilizes a mixed of closed and open-ended questionnaire for the teachers and the students. These tools are validated. It uses descriptive statistics. Respondents are teachers and students of Norania Qaida class of 2012-2013. Results The innate nature to teach becomes natural as an adult learner. It further imbibes an attitude to greater motivation and eagerness to learn. This makes a student and a teacher different in their own ways. In exploring the students' notes, learning is now expressed in varied forms; the unique teaching methodology employed by the teacher and student's learning styles. This study also identifies the relationship between cognition of student's mother tongue and difficulty in learning a new language. While it is common to some that some Arabic Letters are difficult to some nationalities, it is not the same with others. For example, some Arabic letters such as letters “dhad”, “ssad” are difficult to all non-Arabic speakers, however, it is observed that letter “ha” is easier for Indonesians, letter “waw” are pronounced differently for Indians, “qaf” and “ka” are light for stiff (Tagalog) “ka” for Filipinos and so on. Teacher and students have long used the traditional method of repetition and constant practice, both attests to its benefits. Tags: Arabic Language, Qur'an, adult learning, student learning, methodology, non-Arabic speakers, student notes, teaching enhancement
The effect of irrigation, soil cultivation system and nitrogen fertilizer on the vitality and content of selected sugars in Vicia faba seed
Authors: Kurasiak-Popowska D. , Szukala J. , Gulewicz K.
Published: November 2013

In this study the influence of sprinkler irrigation, various soil cultivation systems (conventional, reduced tillage, zero tillage system) and the level (0, 30, 60, 90 kg N/ha) of nitrogen (N) fertilization on the vitality and content of selected sugars in faba bean seeds (Vicia faba L.) of the cultivar Nadwis´lan´ski was examined. Sprinkler irrigation of faba bean improved seed energy and germination in all three years of the study (1999-2001) -on average germination energy by 8.8% and total germination by 3.2%-. Germination of faba bean seed under conventional tillage in the drier years was significantly higher than in the zero tillage system. In the wetter year, seed from both simplified systems produced seeds with higher germination than in traditional conventional tillage. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer affected germination energy, but had no effect on faba bean germination. Sprinkler irrigation and N fertilization had no effect on the content of the sugars studied in the faba bean seed. However, the stachyose content of faba bean seeds from conventional tilled plants was significantly higher than in seed of zero tilled plants (0.78 mg/g seed dm), and the galactose content of seed from zero tilled plants was significantly higher than in the other two cultivation systems - 0.34 and 0.28 mg/g seed dm in seeds from conventional and reduced tillage system, respectively.
Morphological and phenological description of 38 sweet chestnut cultivars (Castanea sativa Miller) in a contemporary collection
Authors: Furones Pérez P. , Fernández López J.
Published: November 2013

Thirty eight traditional chestnut cultivars, from a contemporary collection, were described using nine characteristics, seven of which are included in the guidelines for carrying out tests of distinctness, homogeneity and stability of chestnut established by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). The nine variables were chosen from among 13 characteristics evaluated in the collection with regard to the criteria for distinctness, uniformity and stability. The evaluations were carried out over the years 2003, 2004 and 2005, in two plantations, situated in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Each mean value obtained for each cultivar, plantation and year were assigned a state and numerical number using the UPOV system or proposed new descriptors. No cultivar showed a very late time of leaf bud burst nor a very late time for the start of male and female flowering, nor a strong penetration of the seed coat into embryo. In five variables there was no or few differences among years and between plantations. Consequently they can be evaluated at one site in one year. These characters were: filament length of male flowers, percent of chestnuts with a split pericarp, the degree of penetration of the seed coat into the embryo, fruit shape and the ratio of hilum length to hilum width. Of the remaining four variables, three were phenological (time of leaf bud burst, time of beginning of male and female flowering) and one related to fruit size (size of fruit hilum). They varied among years and between plantations and consequently need to be evaluated under contrasting site conditions for a minimum number of years.
Effect of reduced doses of mesosulfuron + iodosulfuron to control weeds in no-till wheat under Mediterranean conditions
Authors: Barros J.F.C. , Basch G. , Freixial R. , Carvalho M. de
Published: November 2013

Field experiments were carried out over three years (2004-05, to 2006-07) to study the efficacy of a post-emergence dual-purpose herbicide (mesosulfuron - methyl (3%) + iodosulfuron - methyl - sodium (0.6%) + mefenpyr - diethyl (9%) to control Lolium rigidum Gaud. and broad-leaved weeds in no-till wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A ready herbicide mixture was used at three doses (6+1.2, 9+1.8 and 12+2.4 g a.i./ha) on two dates (beginning of tillering for L. rigidum and 2-3 pair of leaves for broad-leaved weeds, and complete tillering for L. rigidum and 5-6 pair of leaves for broad-leaved weeds) with three different application volumes (100, 200 and 300 L/ha). The results of the present study reveal that using lower than the recommended dose (12+2.4 g/ha), the herbicide mixture controls L. rigidum better than it controls some broad-leaved weeds. Effective weed control, which was achieved mainly through the application at the first weed development stage, provided higher grain yields. The lower control efficacy of more developed L. rigidum and broad-leaved weeds and a longer period of competition between crop and weeds are responsible for the significantly lower crop yields for the delayed application. Within each application timing significant differences were obtained among the dose/volume combinations, with the exception of the first application regarding L. rigidum control, indicating that a reduction in herbicide dose is possible, but only for certain dose/volume combinations. Nonetheless, weed control was maintained across an array of dose/volume combinations, especially with L. rigidum, thus, our results demonstrate that reduced doses can effectively control weeds if applied early.
Compost and vermicompost as nursery pot components: effects on tomato plant growth and morphology
Authors: Lazcano C. , Arnold J. , Tato A. , Zaller J.G. , Domínguez J.
Published: November 2013

Post transplant success after nursery stage is strongly influenced by plant morphology. Cultural practices strongly shape plant morphology, and substrate choice is one of the most determining factors. Peat is the most often used amendment in commercial potting substrates, involving the exploitation of non-renewable resources and the degradation of highly valuable peatland ecosystems and therefore alternative substrates are required. Here the feasibility of replacing peat by compost or vermicompost for the production of tomato plants in nurseries was investigated through the study of the effect of increasing proportions of these substrates (0%, 10%, 20%, 50%, 75% and 100%) in target plant growth and morphological features, indicators of adequate post-transplant growth and yield. Compost and vermicompost showed to be adequate substrates for tomato plant growth. Total replacement of peat by vermicompost was possible while doses of compost higher than 50% caused plant mortality. Low doses of compost (10 and 20%) and high doses of vermicompost produced significant increases in aerial and root biomass of the tomato plants. In addition these treatments improved significantly plant morphology (higher number of leaves and leaf area, and increased root volume and branching). The use of compost and vermicompost constitute an attractive alternative to the use of peat in plant nurseries due to the environmental benefits involved but also due to the observed improvement in plant quality.
Short communication. Response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) to soil zinc application
Authors: Valenciano J.B. , Miguélez Frade M.M. , Marcelo V.
Published: November 2013

The response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) to Zn nutrition was studied in pot experiments under natural conditions using four acid soils of northwest Spain during 2007 and 2008. Five concentrations of Zn (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 mg Zn/pot) were added to the pots as Zn chelate. Chickpea responded to the soil Zn applications and there were highly significant differences between soils. At maturity plants fertilized with Zn had greater total dry matter production mainly due to increments in pods weight. The lowest yield (2.65 g/plant) was obtained from 0 mg Zn/pot, while the highest yield (3.52 g/plant) was recorded at 4 mg Zn/pot. The increased yields in Zn applied plants was the result of increased number of pods per plant. Furthermore, this yield component was closely correlated with the seed yield.
Impact of template removal on Web search DOI 10.5752/P.2316-9451.2012v1n1p28
Authors: Wagner Kaio , Moura Edleno Silva de , Fernandes David , Cristo Marco , Silva Altigran Soares da
Published: November 2013

Previous work in literature has indicated that template of web pages represent noisy information in web collections, and advocate that the simple removal of template result in improvements in quality of results provided by Web search systems. In this paper, we study the impact of template removal in two distinct scenarios: large scale web search collections, which consist of several distinct websites, and intrasite web collections, involving searches inside of web sites.  Our  work  is the  first  in literature to  study the  impact of template removal  to  search systems in large  scale  Web  collections. The study was carried out using an automatic template detection method previously proposed by us. As contributions, we present statistics about the application of this automatic template detection method to the well known GOV2 reference collection, a large scale Web collection. We also present experiments comparing the amount of template detected by our automatic method to the ones obtained when humans select templates. And finally, experiments which indicate that, in both experimented scenarios, template removal does not improve the quality of results provided by search systems, but can play the role of an effective loss compression method by reducing the size of their indexes.