The Linguistic Variants of Allah Expressions in Jordanian Arabic

This paper is bifocal. Its first purpose is to shed some light on the widespread use of Allah expressions in Jordanian Arabic as well as other dialects of Arabic. These are expressions that are used repeatedly by Muslims on a daily manner in different venues reflecting their belief that Allah alone is the One who has influence over every aspect of their lives. The second purpose is to draw the attention to some expressions containing the word Allah. In some of these expressions, the word Allah has disappeared as a result of being blended into other particles as in the case of jalla meaning “let” and jaallah meaning “barley”. However, in other expression, the word Allah is still witnessed but used in totally new meanings as in expressing astonishment and seeking protection and guidance

BIOPHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS AND ECOLOGICAL COMPATIBILITIES OF DIVERSE AGROECOSYSTEMS

International audienceA diagnostic approach based on multi-scale integrated analysis and model simulations was employed to identify specific or common biophysical constraints, technological changes and ecological compatibilities of the diverse subsistence (SUB) and organic (ORG) agro-ecosystems in the Fertile Crescent (FC) of West Asia and the organic and conventional (CNV) agro-ecosystem in the Northern Corn Belt (NCB) and Northern Great Plains (NGP) of the U.S. For each agro-ecosystem, soil carbon, total yield, temporal yield variance and yield coefficient of variation per crop rotation were used as sustainability indicators. Thresholds of technologies necessary for the proper functioning and flow of agro-ecosystem services were identified under the most-likely IPCC-projected climate change scenarios for the next 30 years. The carbon budgets of agro-ecosystems were largely related to the choice of crops, crop sequence, and length of the crop rotation, and were influenced by external inputs, tillage system and removal of crop residues. Carbon depletion is expected to be less in organic and subsistence agro-ecosystems when nitrogen-fixing legumes are included in more diverse crop rotations and when crop residues are incorporated into the soil. Potential nutrients loss to the environment was significantly larger in conventional systems, and nutrients are expected to be depleted over time in subsistence- faster than in organically-managed soils. Optimal and sustainable agricultural intensification is feasible through agroecosystem diversification and the proper integration of genetic and natural resources management. In all agroecosystems, for more diverse rotations to be adopted at a large scale, there needs to be large and easily accessible markets for the additional product

Genetic resources of energy crops, biological systems to combat climate change

Abstract Bioenergy crop plants that function as solar energy collectors and thermo-chemical energy storage systems are the basis for biological systems that are expected to contribute to renewable energy production, help stabilize the rising levels of green house gases (GHG), and mitigate the risk of global climate change (GCC). Wide genetic resource bases, especially of wild and semidomesticated perennial grasses and woody species of starch-, oil, and lingocellulose-producing plants, are available to select, breed, genetically-modify, and develop environmentally-friendly bioenergy crops. Plant species, with fast growth, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and low requirements for biological, chemical or physical pretreatments, are being evaluated as potential bioenergy crops. Currently, bioenergy systems based on traditional sources and first generation bioenergy crops, are not sustainable and their exploitation may contribute to environmental degradation. New genetic resources and technological breakthroughs are being employed to develop dedicated bioenergy crops (DECs) with better GHG profiles and with a suite of eco-physiological traits to maximize radiation interception, water-(WUE) and nutrient-use efficiencies (NUE), improved lingocellulosic accessibility to enzymatic degradation, and to confer environmental sustainability. Large-scale bioenergy crop plantations pose both opportunities and challenges, and will inevitably compete with food crops for land, water, nutrient resources and other inputs; whereas, biodiversity consequences of increased biofuel production will most likely result in habitat loss, increased and enhanced dispersion of invasive species, and pollution. Recent genetic modifications and breeding efforts of bioenergy crops aim at improving biomass yield, quality, and conversion efficiency. Improvements in composition and structure of bio-chemicals in bioenergy crops will enable the production of more energy per ton of biomass and will improve its caloric value, GHG profile, and GCC mitigation potential

Impact of change management on the performance of employees in university libraries in Jordan

Summary of the study: The summary of the study problem is that there is a great need for the results that each change look forward to in making a positive change in performance, official university libraries are the only official responsible one on the safety of learning outcomes through services provided to the recipient through its workers.   The importance of the study highlights the fact that libraries in general are affected by a number of external environmental variables, this study derives its importance from the importance of its theme which is change managing and the amount of revenue that can be achieved and reflected on the Jordanian community as a whole if its findings and recommendations were used.   This study aimed to identify the impact of change management on employees performance, through a case study of university libraries in Jordan, three areas of change has been addressed, the change in organizational structure, technology change and change in individuals.   The researcher has designed a questionnaire for the purpose of collecting the raw data, and used the random sample in data collection, 220 questionnaire were distributed on the members of the sample and 200 questionnaire were retrieved and 20excluded because of invalidity, the number of questionnaires acceptable for analyses are 200 which % 95 of the study sample, SPSS were used to analyze data.   The study reached a range of outcomes including: Change in the organizational structure is not flexible, and therefore this organizational structure is not appropriate for the business requirements within the University Library, leading to overlapping powers and responsibilities.There is a positive relationship between the areas of change (organizational structure, technology, individuals) and the performance of workers at a level ? = 0.05 with 0.589, 0.648, 0.711correlation coefficient respectively.   The study found a range of recommendations including: to ensure the success of the change program it is appropriate to focus on organizational structure,  human relations and technology and there must be a  balance between these aspects to improve the performance of employees and this in turn reflects the quality of productivity

Empirical modeling of the impact of Mollisol soils variation on performance of Cuphea: a potential oilseed crop

Abstract Production potential of many soils is affected by low supply of nutrients due to adverse constraints or spatio-temporal variation of soil physico-chemical properties. New oilseed crops differ in their nutrient needs for maximum performance in different soils and may not be able to economically compete with grain crops for fertile land. Spatial variation in physico-chemical properties within and among four Mollisols during two contrasting cropping seasons accounted for significant and decreasing amounts of variation in crop performance quantified by seed yield, oil content and oil yield in Cuphea (Cuphea viscosissima Jacq. x Cuphea lanceolata W.T. Aiton; PSR23), a semi domesticated oilseed crop. Spatially demarcated 36 grids within soil series accounted for more variation in crop performance and reacted more significantly to temporal variation than soil series. Nutrient ratios of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur in seed were slightly better predictors of oil content and oil yield than those in soil. Soil chemical properties, including nutrient contents, soil pH, water, and electrical conductivity, when used as covariates or predictors in calibration and validation partial least squares regression models, provided new insights into the variation structure and prediction of crop performance. Predictive models may help design management strategies to optimize oil content and oil yield of oilseed crops on different soil types

International survey of Cronobacter sakazakii and other Cronobacter spp. in follow up formulas and infant food

A coordinated survey for Cronobacter and related organisms in powdered infant formula, follow up formula and infant foods was undertaken by 8 laboratories in 7 countries in recognition of and in response to the data needs identified in an FAO/WHO call for data in order to develop global risk management guidance for these products. The products (domestic and imported) were purchased from the local market and were categorised according to their principle ingredients. A total of 290 products were analysed using a standardised procedure of pre-enrichment in 225 ml Buffered Peptone Water (BPW), followed by enrichment in Enterobacteriaceae Enrichment (EE) broth, plating on the chromogenic Cronobacter Druggan–Forsythe–Iversen (DFI) agar and presumptive identification with ID 32 E. Presumptive Cronobacter isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Aerobic plate counts (APC) of the products were also determined on nutrient agar. Fourteen samples had APC > 105 cfu/g, 3 of which contained probiotic cultures. C. sakazakii was isolated from 27 products; 3/91 (3%) follow up formulas (as defined by Codex Alimentarius Commission), and 24/199 (12%) infant foods and drinks. Hence C. sakazakii was less prevalent in follow up formula than other foods given to infants over the same age range. A range of other bacteria were also isolated from follow up formulas, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, and Serratia ficaria. There was significant variation in the reconstitution instructions for follow up formulas. These included using water at temperatures which would enable bacterial growth. Additionally, the definition of follow up formula varied between countries

Expressing Gratitude in an EFL Context: The Case of Jordanian Learners

This study contributes to the existing literature on interlanguage pragmatics by investigating intermediate Jordanian English Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ gratitude speech act realization compared to that of native American English speakers. The study considered both aspects of pragmatic competence including pragmalinguistic knowledge (i.e., the use of gratitude strategies) and sociopragmatic knowledge (i.e., the influence of contextual variables). A discourse completion task (DCT) was employed to elicit data from 60 participants divided into two groups: 30 native speakers of American English, and 30 Jordanian EFL learners. Findings revealed that while Jordanian EFL  learners and American English native speakers have access to the same gratitude strategies, both groups differed in  the order preference of the used strategies and their frequency of use. Furthermore, the two groups showed different patterns in responding to contextual variables (i.e., social power and size of imposition), an indication that different cultural values govern the speech norms of each group. The study concludes with some pedagogical implications that could be implemented in the EFL classroom

Bumper Stickers in Jordan: A Structural Analysis

This study has set out to determine the structural patterns of bumper stickers in Jordan. This study is significant since it is the first one to approach bumper stickers structurally. The study has investigated 227 stickers, which can be considered the corpus of stickers in Jordan. The study has found that around 90% of the stickers are sentences, most of which are simple sentences expressed in the present tense. This combination of the three elements i.e. sentence, declarative and simple is what facilitated the job of drivers to write their opinions, attitudes, beliefs, etc. and is what made it possible for the others i.e. drivers and pedestrians to understand the stickers. The study has also found that imperative and negative imperatives are quite common since the stickers are not addressed to the writer/driver rather to the others so as to inform them about his state, his miserable condition, his opinions, his loyalties, and his vehicle. The stickers are addressed to others to demand certain behaviors from them such as driving wisely, not challenging the sticker writer, respecting him if he is driving a truck or a lorry, etc