Guidelines on Energy Consumption Surveys in the Transport Sector Experiences in Selected Arab Countries

Introduction: Data collection for the 2015 Energy Consumption Survey in Transport Sector (ECSTS) will be conducted between March and May 2015, collecting data for reference year 2014. The goal of the ECSTS is to provide statistical information about energy consumption, expenditures, and energy efficiency in Egypt, Jordan and Palestine, in all modes of transportations, namely: road, railway, maritime, and air. In addition, the goal is to link the resulted statistics to national policies on energy production and consumption based on collected statistics.The authors would like to thank the Islamic Development Bank and the Department for International Development of the UK for providing funds for the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) to implement the project “Strengthening Statistical Capacity of Arab Countries in Producing Energy Statistics and Energy Consumption Surveys” in the three Arab countries: Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. We thank the Director of the national statistical offices of Egypt (CAPMAS), of Jordan (DOS) and of Palestine (PCBS) who supported the survey at high level offices and the survey departments and the energy statistics units staff who worked intensively to conduct the survey in a short time and coordinated with the line ministries. The Director of the Statistics Division at ESCWA Juraj Riecan provided support and guidance

Representações de Portugal nas agências internacionais de notícias

A comunicação social desempenha um papel relevante na formação da imagem de países e populações na comunidade internacional. Neste âmbito, as agências internacionais de notícias ocupam uma função central, por ser uma fonte significante do conteúdo que abastece as empresas jornalísticas sobre o que acontece fora do alcance da sua realidade. Nas últimas décadas, Portugal reforçou a sua presença dentro da comunidade internacional, com a participação em blocos e organizações que, se por um lado reduziram o poder das suas fronteiras geográficas, por outro aumentaram a influência portuguesa na política, economia e cultura num contexto global. Em razão disso, aumentou também o interesse dos media estrangeiros em relatar os acontecimentos relacionados com o país. Os personagens ligados a Portugal que mais despertam o interesse destas agências estão ligados ao Desporto e à Política. O género noticioso favorito é a Nota Informativa, com o relato direto e pouco aprofundado de temas atuais. Os assuntos relacionados com Portugal com maior valor-notícia para agências internacionais de notícias são Política, Desporto e Economia, Finanças e Negócios. A maior parte do material publicado por estas agências sobre o país é classificada como Neutro. Entre as peças classificadas como Positivas ou Negativas, foi identificado um maior volume de material negativo. Apesar de o conteúdo negativo se sobressair em relação ao positivo, as agências de notícias não fazem uso de estereótipos ou generalizações sobre Portugal ou os portugueses em uma tentativa de justificar os problemas do país. No entanto, Portugal é comparado com a Grécia e com outros países do Sul da Europa, reforçando a generalização de uma debilidade económica e instabilidade política da região.The media plays an important role in shaping the image of countries and their citizens among the international community. In this context, the international news agencies have a central role, as a significant source of content that supplies news outlets about what happens beyond the reach of their reality. In recent decades, Portugal has strengthened its presence within the international community, participating in political and economic unions and organizations. In one hand, this reduced the power of their geographical boundaries but on the other increased the Portuguese influence in politics, economy and culture in a global context. As a result, the interest of foreign media to report events related to the country has also increased. The main characters linked to Portugal with most interest for these agencies are connected to Sports and Politics. The favorite news gender is the 'Informative Note', a stile of writing with superficial approach about current issues. The most interesting subjects about Portugal for these media outlets are Politics, Sports and Economics, Finance and Business. Most of the material published by these agencies about the country is classified as neutral. Among the ones classified as positive or negative, a larger amount of negative material was identified. But, despite of the larger amount of negative content comparing to the positive ones, the news agencies do not use stereotypes or generalizations about Portugal or the Portuguese as an attempt to justify the country's problems. However, Portugal is compared with Greece and other countries of Southern Europe, reinforcing the conception of economic weakness and political instability about the region

A discrete numerical description of the mechanical response of soils subjected to degradation by suffusion

Internal erosion is a major cause of the failure of hydraulic earthen structures. A particular case of such an erosion process is suffusion which constitutes a strongly coupled fluid-solid interaction problem. It is a selective erosion of fine particles from an unstable soil structure leaving behind the granular skeleton which possibly leads to deformations. Such a process may cause modification in the mechanical behavior of the soil. To study this problem numerically, a model is established based on the discrete element method implemented in Yade software (Smilauer et al. 2015). Periodic boundary conditions are adopted and the soil is represented by a 3D assembly of spherical discrete elements. Such an oversimplified particle’s shape leads to excessive rolling. To overcome this obstacle, rolling resistance was taken into consideration in the inter-particle contact law. Bearing in mind that numerical modeling of suffusion can constitute a difficult task requiring important computational resources due to the direct description of interactions between solid and liquid phases, a one-way coupling with a fluid phase is considered here. However, effects on the soil due to the loss of a fraction of fine particles is investigated either by modeling soils with different grains size distribution and different initial fines content to characterize its influence on the soil microstructure, or by mimicking the suffusion process by defining an extraction criterion of potentially erodible particles. This extraction criterion is based on the size of the particles, constriction sizes, and the velocity of particles under the effect of fluid forces. From these two approaches, we were able to specify the fines content from which their erosion may have a significant influence on the microstructure. Moreover, the defined extraction criterion was able to describe the effect of erosion on the stability of the soil structure

Perception of Biostatistics by Lebanese Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Inadequate use of statistics in biomedical research might not only affect science but also harm human beings if applied in medical practice. Biostatistics is fundamental to improve understanding and appraising of evidence-based medicine (EBM); yet, it is still not well understood and appreciated by medical students. Therefore, early exposure of medical students and physicians-in-training to research tools including Biostatistics is of utmostimportance.Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the perception of Biostatistics by medical students at a private medical school in Beirut, Lebanon, and to identify its best implementation time in the medical curriculum.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study based on a self-administered questionnaire distributed among medical students in their pre-clerkship years (first three years of a 6-year program) who undertook Biostatistics. The assessment of perception was based on the 5-point Likert scale anchored by Strongly disagree = 1 and Strongly agree = 5 including 36 questions distributed into four domains to assess the course value, difficulty, behavioral, and expectations.Results: 186 of 269 students responded to the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 69.14%. Around 60% of students declared that the knowledge gained from biostatistics courses is useful to their future career, and almost 70% understood the main concepts of biostatistics. 57.7% of students perceived that lack of practicing exercises might contribute to making the course more difficult. The mean score of domains was higher in females but did not significantly differ within the three academic years. Only 35.1% of the students positively perceived the importance of biostatistics modules, mostly third-year students.Conclusion: Although the majority of medical students perceived biostatistics modules negatively, they were aware of the relevance of biostatistics to their medical career and real-life health issues

Co-crystal of Tramadol-Celecoxib in Patients with Moderate to Severe Acute Post-surgical Oral Pain: A Dose-Finding, Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo- and Active-Controlled, Multicentre, Phase II Trial

Background Co-crystal of tramadol-celecoxib (CTC), containing equimolar quantities of the active pharmaceu- tical ingredients (APIs) tramadol and celecoxib (100 mg CTC = 44 mg rac-tramadol hydrochloride and 56 mg celecoxib), is a novel API-API co-crystal for the treatment of pain. We aimed to establish the effective dose of CTC for treating acute pain following oral surgery. Methods A dose-finding, double-blind, randomised, pla- cebo- and active-controlled, multicentre (nine Spanish hospitals), phase II study (EudraCT number: 2011-002778- 21) was performed in male and female patients aged C 18 years experiencing moderate to severe pain following extraction of two or more impacted third molars requiring bone removal. Eligible patients were randomised via a computer-generated list to receive one of six single-dose treatments (CTC 50, 100, 150, 200 mg; tramadol 100 mg; and placebo). The primary efficacy endpoint was the sum of pain intensity difference (SPID) over 8 h assessed in the per-protocol population. Results Between 10 February 2012 and 13 February 2013, 334 patients were randomised and received study treat- ment: 50 mg (n = 55), 100 mg (n = 53), 150 mg (n = 57), or 200 mg (n = 57) of CTC, 100 mg tramadol (n = 58), or placebo (n = 54). CTC 100, 150, and 200 mg showed significantly higher efficacy compared with placebo and/or tramadol in all measures: SPID (0-8 h) (mean [standard deviation]): - 90 (234), - 139 (227), - 173 (224), 71 (213), and 22 (228), respectively. The proportion of patients experiencing treatment-emergent adverse events was lower in the 50 (12.7% [n = 7]), 100 (11.3% [n = 6]), and 150 (15.8% [n = 9]) mg CTC groups, and similar in the 200 mg (29.8% [n = 17]) CTC group, compared with the tramadol group (29.3% [n = 17]), with nausea, dizzi- ness, and vomiting the most frequent events. Conclusion Significant improvement in the benefit-risk ratio was observed for CTC (doses C 100 mg) over tra- madol and placebo in the treatment of acute pain following oral surgery

A Proof-Theoretic Approach to Mathematical Knowledge Management

Mathematics is an area of research that is forever growing. Definitions, theorems, axioms, and proofs are integral part of every area of mathematics. The relationships between these elements bring to light the elegant abstractions that bind even the most intricate aspects of math and science. As the body of mathematics becomes larger and its relationships become richer, the organization of mathematical knowledge becomes more important and more difficult. This emerging area of research is referred to as mathematical knowledge management (MKM). The primary issues facing MKM were summarized by Buchberger, one of the organizers of the first Mathematical Knowledge Management Workshop. -How do we retrieve mathematical knowledge from existing and future sources? -How do we build future mathematical knowledge bases? -How do we make the mathematical knowledge bases available to mathematicians? These questions have become particularly relevant with the growing power of and interest in automated theorem proving, using computer programs to prove mathematical theorems. Automated theorem provers have been used to formalize theorems and proofs from all areas of mathematics, resulting in large libraries of mathematical knowledge. However, these libraries are usually implemented at the system level, meaning they are not defined with the same level of formalism as the proofs themselves, which rely on a strong underlying proof theory with rules for their creation. In this thesis, we develop a proof-theoretic approach to formalizing the relationships between proofs in a library in the same way the steps of a proof are formalized in automated theorem provers. The library defined in this formal way exhibits five desirable properties: independence, structure, an underlying formalism, adaptability, and presentability. The ultimate goal of mathematical knowledge management is to make the vast libraries of mathematical information available to people at all skill levels. The proof-theoretic approach in this thesis provides a strong formal foundation for realizing that goal

Resource efficient manufacturing within the steel industry : A study of the approaches utilized by steel manufacturers to optimize resource efficiency

The steel industry plays a critical role in shaping the modern world, serving as a foundational pillar for infrastructure, construction, and manufacturing sectors. However, its rapid growth has sparked concerns regarding its environmental impact and sustainability. As the industry aims for net-zero carbon dioxide production by 2050, this report explores the challenges it faces in adopting environmentally responsible practices and presents innovative approaches to reduce its ecological footprint. Before delving into emerging technological innovations, a comprehensive overview of the current state of the steel industry was conducted to understand production levels and the methods employed by various nations. The analysis reveals five major innovative developments aimed at addressing anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions: oxygen and top gas recycling blast furnaces, biomass utilization, molten oxide electrolysis, hydrogen-based steelmaking, and carbon capture, storage, and utilization. Each approach's technological readiness level varies, with some already implemented while others, like molten oxide electrolysis, requiring further research and development. In-depth evaluations of each approach were conducted, considering both environmental and economic aspects to ascertain their feasibility and potential benefits in comparison to one another. This assessment provides an overarching perspective on the viability of each approach. With the steel industry's trajectory towards carbon neutrality, these innovative technologies hold the key to a more sustainable future for the industry. By embracing environmentally responsible practices and actively implementing these emerging solutions, the steel sector can contribute significantly to global efforts in combatting climate change and fostering a greener world.Stålindustrin spelar en kritisk roll i att forma den moderna världen och fungerar som en grundläggande pelare för infrastruktur-, bygg- och tillverkningssektorerna. Dock har dess snabba tillväxt väckt oro gällande dess miljöpåverkan och hållbarhet. Denna uppsats utforskar de utmaningar som stålindustrin står inför när det gäller att anta miljöansvariga metoder och presenterar innovativa tillvägagångssätt för att minska dess ekologiska fotavtryck. Innan vi går in på de framväxande tekniska innovationerna genomfördes en omfattande översikt av den nuvarande situationen för stålindustrin för att förstå produktionsnivåer och de metoder som används av olika nationer. Analysen avslöjar fem stora innovativa utvecklingar som syftar till att hantera antropogena koldioxidutsläpp: återvinning av syre och toppgas i masugnar, användning av biomassa, smält oxid elektrolys, vätgasbaserad ståltillverkning och kolinfångning, lagring och användning. Teknikernas tekniska mognadsnivå varierar, där vissa redan har implementerats medan andra, som smält oxid elektrolys, kräver ytterligare forskning och utveckling. Djupgående utvärderingar av varje tillvägagångssätt genomfördes, där både miljömässiga och ekonomiska aspekter beaktades för att fastställa deras genomförbarhet och potentiella fördelar i jämförelse med varandra. Denna bedömning ger en övergripande syn på varje tillvägagångssätts livsduglighet. Med stålindustrins strävan mot koldioxidneutralitet utgör dessa innovativa teknologier nyckeln till en mer hållbar framtid för branschen. Genom att omfamna miljöansvariga metoder och aktivt implementera dessa framväxande lösningar kan stålsektorn bidra betydligt till globala ansträngningar för att bekämpa klimatförändringar och främja en grönare värld

A Proof-Theoretic Approach to Tactics

Tactics and tacticals, programs that represent and execute several steps of deduction, are fundamental to theorem provers providing automated tools for creating proofs quickly and easily. The language used for tactics is usually a full-scale programming language, separate from the language used to represent proofs. Consequently, there is also a separation between the use of theorems in proofs and the use of tactics

Resource efficient manufacturing within the steel industry : A study of the approaches utilized by steel manufacturers to optimize resource efficiency

The steel industry plays a critical role in shaping the modern world, serving as a foundational pillar for infrastructure, construction, and manufacturing sectors. However, its rapid growth has sparked concerns regarding its environmental impact and sustainability. As the industry aims for net-zero carbon dioxide production by 2050, this report explores the challenges it faces in adopting environmentally responsible practices and presents innovative approaches to reduce its ecological footprint. Before delving into emerging technological innovations, a comprehensive overview of the current state of the steel industry was conducted to understand production levels and the methods employed by various nations. The analysis reveals five major innovative developments aimed at addressing anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions: oxygen and top gas recycling blast furnaces, biomass utilization, molten oxide electrolysis, hydrogen-based steelmaking, and carbon capture, storage, and utilization. Each approach's technological readiness level varies, with some already implemented while others, like molten oxide electrolysis, requiring further research and development. In-depth evaluations of each approach were conducted, considering both environmental and economic aspects to ascertain their feasibility and potential benefits in comparison to one another. This assessment provides an overarching perspective on the viability of each approach. With the steel industry's trajectory towards carbon neutrality, these innovative technologies hold the key to a more sustainable future for the industry. By embracing environmentally responsible practices and actively implementing these emerging solutions, the steel sector can contribute significantly to global efforts in combatting climate change and fostering a greener world.Stålindustrin spelar en kritisk roll i att forma den moderna världen och fungerar som en grundläggande pelare för infrastruktur-, bygg- och tillverkningssektorerna. Dock har dess snabba tillväxt väckt oro gällande dess miljöpåverkan och hållbarhet. Denna uppsats utforskar de utmaningar som stålindustrin står inför när det gäller att anta miljöansvariga metoder och presenterar innovativa tillvägagångssätt för att minska dess ekologiska fotavtryck. Innan vi går in på de framväxande tekniska innovationerna genomfördes en omfattande översikt av den nuvarande situationen för stålindustrin för att förstå produktionsnivåer och de metoder som används av olika nationer. Analysen avslöjar fem stora innovativa utvecklingar som syftar till att hantera antropogena koldioxidutsläpp: återvinning av syre och toppgas i masugnar, användning av biomassa, smält oxid elektrolys, vätgasbaserad ståltillverkning och kolinfångning, lagring och användning. Teknikernas tekniska mognadsnivå varierar, där vissa redan har implementerats medan andra, som smält oxid elektrolys, kräver ytterligare forskning och utveckling. Djupgående utvärderingar av varje tillvägagångssätt genomfördes, där både miljömässiga och ekonomiska aspekter beaktades för att fastställa deras genomförbarhet och potentiella fördelar i jämförelse med varandra. Denna bedömning ger en övergripande syn på varje tillvägagångssätts livsduglighet. Med stålindustrins strävan mot koldioxidneutralitet utgör dessa innovativa teknologier nyckeln till en mer hållbar framtid för branschen. Genom att omfamna miljöansvariga metoder och aktivt implementera dessa framväxande lösningar kan stålsektorn bidra betydligt till globala ansträngningar för att bekämpa klimatförändringar och främja en grönare värld

La suffusion et ses effets sur le comportement mécanique des sols granulaires : études numériques et expérimentales

Suffusion is a particular case of internal erosion taking place in hydraulic earth structures. It is characterized by the detachment and migration of fine particles by interstitial flow leaving behind the granular skeleton. Such modifications in the soil microstructure may lead to deformations at the macroscopic scale and may influence the mechanical behavior of the soil. This research was devoted to investigate the suffusion mechanism and its impact on the mechanical properties of cohesionless soils. To achieve this objective, two approaches were followed in this work: numerical and experimental approaches. A discrete numerical model was defined to describe quantitatively the soil macroscopic behavior and to analyze the microstructure of granular assemblies. It is based on the use of spherical particles and contact rolling resistance, as well as a new method of compaction to mimic the one used in laboratory and to reach a wide range of initial densities. The model was validated through comparison of numerical results with experimental data. This model was first applied on granular assemblies with different fines contents to study the role of fine particles with respect to a given soil microstructure, without taking into account an erosion process. It was shown that there exists a fines content, below the threshold, where fine particles may start to participate in the force transfer that if suffusion initiates and mobilizes these particles, it may affect the macroscopic behavior of the soil. Thereafter, a simplified kinetics of grain extraction was proposed to describe the suffusion process. It was based on a one-way fluid-solid coupling approach. The importance of this extraction procedure is that, on one hand, it takes into account complex geometric and hydraulic criteria; on the other hand, the model involves an affordable computational cost. This procedure was validated based on experimental tests carried out using a newly developed suffusion apparatus. Consequences of this erosion on the mechanical properties of soils were characterized from experimental and simulated triaxial compression tests. Suffusion development and its consequences on the macroscopic behavior are discussed from the results obtained in terms of the initial soil density and gradation, the hydraulic loading and the type of eroded particles (active or inactive in the force transfer).La suffusion est un cas particulier d'érosion interne qui apparait dans les ouvrages hydrauliques. Elle se caractérise par le détachement et le transport des particules fines à travers les gros grains sous l'action d'un écoulement hydraulique en laissant derrière un squelette granulaire dont les caractéristiques en termes de densité et d'arrangement géométrique granulaire ont été changées. De telles modifications dans la micro-structure du sol peuvent conduire à des déformations à l'échelle macroscopique et peuvent influencer le comportement mécanique du sol. Ce travail a été consacré à l'étude du mécanisme de suffusion et à son impact sur les propriétés mécaniques des sols non-cohésifs. Pour atteindre cet objectif, deux approches ont été suivies dans ce travail: l'une numérique et l'autre expérimentale. Un modèle numérique discret a été défini pour décrire quantitativement le comportement macroscopique du sol et analyser la micro-structure des assemblages granulaires. Il est basé sur l'utilisation de particules sphériques et la résistance au roulement aux contacts, ainsi que sur une nouvelle méthode de compactage des échantillons pour simuler celle utilisée au laboratoire, et atteindre une large gamme de densités initiales. Le modèle a été validé par comparaison de résultats numériques et de données expérimentales. Ce modèle a d'abord été appliqué sur des assemblages granulaires avec des teneur en fines différentes afin d'étudier le rôle des particules fines pour une micro-structure de sol donnée, sans tenir compte d'un processus d'érosion. Il a été montré qu'il existe un pourcentage de fines, en dessous de la teneur seuil, où des particules fines peuvent commencer à participer au transfert de force, et que, si la suffusion s'initie et mobilise ces particules, ceci pourra affecter le comportement macroscopique du sol. Par la suite, une cinétique simplifiée d'extraction du grain a été proposée pour décrire le processus de suffusion. Elle est basée sur une approche de couplage fluide-solide partielle. L'intérêt de cette procédure d'extraction est que, d'une part, elle tient en compte des critères géométriques et hydrauliques complexes; d'autre part, le modèle induit un coût de calcul raisonnable. Cette procédure a été validée sur la base d'essais expérimentaux de suffusion effectués avec un dispositif nouvellement développé. Les conséquences de cette érosion sur les propriétés mécaniques des sols ont été caractérisées par la réalisation en laboratoire et la simulation d'essais de compression triaxiale. Le développement de la suffusion et ses conséquences sur le comportement macroscopique sont discutés en terme de densité et granulométrie initiale du sol, de chargement hydraulique et du type de particules érodées (actives ou inactive vis-à-vis du transfert de force)