Women Self Actualization: A narrative of a performative gender constitution

In a traditional Middle Eastern society, men and women have been confined within society’s gender definitions. Those imposed social constructs condition men differently from women by dictating expected behaviors, establishing a hierarchy of gender positioning and enforcing definitions that limit abilities and potential. Based on postmodernist philosopher, feminist and social theorist, Simone de Beauvoir and postmodernist American philosopher and gender theorist Judith Butler, gender is not an inborn role, but rather created through stylized repetition of acts informed by society, named performative acts. For de Beauvoir and Butler, gender can never be a stable identity (Butler 1988). Informed by Butler’s phenomenological nature of gender constitution, this research explores the possibility of empowering Arab women in the workplace. Via an online platform called Kooni, the design aims to help women rethink the nature of gender and gender roles in the workplace and introduces the concept of performative acts as a role playing mechanism to induce change

Analysis of Phenols and Antioxidants Infused Sappan Wood (Caesalpiniasappan L.)

Caesalpinia sappan L. is one of Caesalpiniaceae family found in Indonesia and a health drink that is often consumed by society at large in Indonesia. This study aims to theanalysis of phenol and flavonoid infuse a sappan wood (Caesalpiniasappan L.) and determine the activities of the wooden cup remedy by using DPPH (1,1-picrylhydrazyldiphenyl- 2). Sappanwood extracted using distilled solvent was conducted using infuse for 15 minutes at a temperature of 900C. Extracts infuse obtained analyzed qualitatively using the reactive dye and quantitative determination using spectrophotometry UV-Vis at a wavelength of 730 nm for analysis of phenol in total and 430 nm for analysis flavonoidtotal average level of phenols total of 554,86 mgGAE/L samples and flavonoid total of 1,0377 mgQAE/L samples. Samples wood sappan made with a concentration of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% and 6% with the addition of DPPH by using a UV -Visible spectrophotometer. The results showed that the samples of the sappan wood 6% have the highest antioxidant activity at a wavelength of 513.1 nm

The Selection and Consequences of Selling Processes in Takeovers: Evidence from the U.S. and U.K. Takeover Markets

There are various selling mechanisms applied to facilitate takeovers. What determines a seller’s choice of a specific selling mechanism? And what are the consequences of selecting a particular mechanism on takeover outcomes? These are important questions, both theoretically and practically. This thesis investigates two important datasets from the U.K. and U.S. markets, respectively. The first empirical chapter examines two important selling processes in the U.K. market: tender offers and schemes of arrangement. Under tender offer, an acquirer purchases the shares of a target firm directly from the market, without the need of approval from the target’s board. A scheme of arrangement is a court-approved agreement between a company and its shareholders/creditors on the takeover by a potential acquirer. Scheme of arrangement require 75% approval from target’s shareholders with voting powers. Compared with tender offers, schemes are a relatively safe, yet prolonged, way to implement takeovers. This thesis attempts to answer the two questions raised above. To correctly identify the treatment effect of selecting a specific selling process, the selection bias problem need to be addressed. Here the propensity score of matching (PSM) has been adopted to deal with the consequences of self-selection problem into the group that choose scheme of arrangement. Using a sample from takeovers within the U.K. market between 1995 and 2015, this study shows that deals structured through tender offers generate significantly higher premiums for the target’s shareholders in comparison to those structured through schemes. The logit regression results show that the probability of choosing schemes increases if the target firm is larger and more established, or if the target’s termination fees increase, and so on. The results of this study were found to be stable after various robustness tests. The second empirical chapter investigates the two selling mechanisms of auction and negotiation on takeovers using data from the U.S. market. Auction has an obvious advantage in terms of increasing competition when compared to one-on-one negotiation processes. And, therefore, auction is more attractive for a seller; competition between bidders may require the winning bidder to effectively overpay for the target —a phenomenon known as the ‘winner’s curse’. This second chapter investigates the existence of the ‘winner’s curse’ in the context of the U.S. takeover market, with the PSM method applied. Using a sample from the U.S. takeover market during the period between 1984 and 2014, the auction process was found to have a negative impact on bidder returns during the short-event period in comparison to takeovers structured through negotiations. Therefore, the empirical results support the theoretical prediction that the “winner’s curse” exists within U.S. takeover markets. However, the overbidding results become less clear when examined over the long-event period. The logit regression results collected show that the probability of a firm choosing an auction transaction increases if the target initiates the deal, has higher levels of leverage, more tangible assets, faces bankruptcy, or if the bidder already has a ‘toehold’ stake in the target firm. In summary, this thesis studies the determinants of selecting different selling mechanisms in takeovers within U.S. and U.K. markets, and it evaluates the exact effects of selecting a specific mechanism on the outcomes of a takeover by using PSM method to control the self-selection problem

Africa and the middle east: Shifting alliances and strategic partnerships

© The Author(s) 2018. Traces the Cold War-era Afro-Arab cooperation as tied to the Arabs’ support for Africa’s struggles against racism and colonialism and the joint condemnation of Israel’s expansionist policies against the Palestine people at the United Nations. Turkey’s new Africa policy, however, has sought to strengthen its diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with the continent. Much of the trade of the Middle East (Iran, Turkey, and Israel) in sub-Saharan Africa is with South Africa. The authors therefore argue that trade is the starting point, and there are still many opportunities to strengthen relations further between the Middle East and African countries, such as linking infrastructure for trade corridors, but more needs to be done by both parties to tap into these opportunities

Self-interference cancellation in underwater acoustic communications systems using orthogonal pilots in IBFD

This paper proposes a Self-interference (SI) cancellation system model of Underwater acoustic (UWA) communication for in-band full-duplex (IBFD) technology. The SI channel is separated from the Far channel by exploiting a concurrently orthogonal pilot channel estimation technique using two orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) blocks to establish orthogonality between them based on a unitary matrix. Compared to the half-duplex channel estimator, the mean squared error (MSE) and the bit error rate (BER) provided strong evidence for the efficiency of the proposed SI cancellation. Since full-duplex systems are more efficient than half-duplex ones, the proposed approach might be seen as a viable option for them. The proposed method proved effective when used with a fixed full-duplex (FD) position and FD shifting of up to 4°. Different channel lengths and distances are adopted to evaluate the proposed method. Initial findings indicate that MSE for the SI channel minimum mean-square error (MMSE) estimator at 20 dB is 0.118 · 10−3, for fixed FD. In addition, this paper presents a geometry channel model for the Far channel in the IBFD underwater communication system that describes the propagation delay of the multipath reflection. The simulation results for the multipath propagation delay spread are similar to the traditional results, with the delay spread of the suggested model reaching (79 ms), which is close to the Bellhop simulator result (78 ms)

Évaluation de la sensibilité de sept clones de palmier à huile (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) à Coelaenomenodera lameensis Berti et Mariau (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) Konan J.

Objectifs : Évaluer la sensibilité de 7 clones d’Elaeis guineensis à Coelaenomenodera lameensis (Coleoptera : Hispinae) et estimer les dégâts occasionnés par l’insecte au terme d’un cycle de développement complet sur chaque type de matériel clonal.Méthodologies et Résultats : des insectes adultes de C. lameensis ont été transposés sur des folioles de clones d’Elaeis guineensis isolés dans des manchons. L’évolution des insectes a été ensuite observée à chaque étape du cycle normal de développement de C. lameensis. Les dégâts provoqués par l’insecte ont été estimés par le rapport entre la surface de foliole attaquée et la surface totale de foliole. Les résultats ont montré que certains clones étaient moins favorables au développement de l’insecte que d’autres. Le clone LMC247, avec 53,80 % ± 2,56 de surface foliaire attaquée, a été plus sensible à l’insecte que les autres clones LMC159, LMC161, LMC022, LMC010, LMC270 et LMC291 où les dégâts observés ont été en dessous de 25%..Conclusion et Application : au regard des résultats, il ressort que le développement de C. lameensis est influencé par le type de matériel clonal. Les dégâts sur les clones testés ont été généralement de faible intensité. Cette approche expérimentale, laisse présager de bonnes perspectives pour la lutte génétique contre C. lameensis.. En effet, plus de 300 clones de palmier ont déjà été crées en Côte d’Ivoire. Un criblage élargi à l’ensemble de ce matériel va permettre d’identifier à terme des clones performants pour contrôler le ravageur, au regard de l’homogénéité de ce type de matériel végétal.Mots clés : clone, palmier à huile, lutte génétique, Coelænomenodera lameensisEvaluation of seven oil palm clones (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) sensibility to Coelaenomenodera lameensis Berti and Mariau (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)Objective: this study aims to evaluate seven oil palm clones sensibility to Coelaenomenodera lameensis (Coleoptera: Hispinae) and to estimate the damage caused by this insect on each type of clonal material.Methods and results: adult insects of C. lameensis were transposed on Elaeis guineensis clones leaflets isolated in canvas bags. Insect evolution was observed at each stage of normal development cycle of C. lameensis. The damage caused by the insect was estimated using the ratio of the surface of leaflet attacked and the total surface of leaflet. The results showed that some clones were less favorable to the development of C. lameensis than others. The clone LMC247, with 53.80 ± 2.56% of leaf surface attacked was more susceptible to C. lameensis than the other clones LMC159, LMC161, LMC022, LMC010, LMC270 and LMC291. For these clones, the damages noted were below 25% of leaf area attacked.Conclusion and application: the results showed that C. lameensis development depended of the clones. Overall, a low intensity of damage was observed on the leaflet of the clones. This experimental approach suggests good projection for genetic control of C. lameensis with oil palm clone material. Indeed, more than 300 oil palm clones have already been established in Côte d'Ivoire. The screening of this material can help selecting performing material to control the pest due to the homogeneity of this type of plant material. Key words: clone, oil palm, genetic control, Coelænomenodera lameensi

Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Discovery Terhadap Keterampilan Berpikir Kritis dan Hasil Belajar IPA Kelas VIII MTSN Libureng Kabupaten Bone.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui (1) Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Discovery terhadap keterampilan berpikir kritis dan hasil belajar peserta didik kelas VIII MTsN Libureng Kab. Bone Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian pre-eksperimen. Sampel penelitian diperoleh secara random kelas dengan membuat lembar undian, saat pengambilan undian terpilih kelas VIIIA sebagai sampel penelitian dengan jumlah 28 peserta didik MTsN Libureng. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada semester genap tahun pelajaran 2015/2016. Variabel penelitian terdiri dari variabel bebas yaitu Model  Pembelajaran Discovery dan variabel terikat yaitu keterampilan berpikir kritis dan hasil belajar IPA. Desain penelitian adalah one group pretets-posttest design. Teknik pengumpulan data adalah tes keterampilan berpikir kritis dan tes hasil belajar.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) Model pembelajaran Discovery dapat meningkatkan keterampilan berpikir kritis peserta didik kelas VIII MTsN Libureng Kab. Bone (2) Model pembelajaran Discovery dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar IPA peserta didik kelas VIII MTsN Libureng Kabupaten Bone. Kata kunci: ModelDiscovery, Keterampilan Berpikir Kritis dan Hasil Belajar