Throughput evaluation of HARQ schemes with packet and code combining over multipath fading channels for DS-SSS

Dans cet article, nous évaluons les performances des schémas ARQ et HARQ I, utilisant la stratégie Packet Combining, et HARQ II, utilisant la stratégie Code Combining, en présence d'un canal multi-trajets à évanouissements de Rayleigh. L'analyse est effectuée dans deux scénorios extrêmes où le canal est constant et indépendent durant les différentes retransmissions. Les résultats théoriques obtenus sont ensuite validés par des simulations

Effect of rosemary leaves and essential oil on turkey sausage quality

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of rosemary essential oil (250–1000 ppm) or its leaves (0.5–2%) on the quality of turkey sausage. The addition of essential oil had no significant effect on the sausage texture and colour parameters. A high rosemary leaves level resulted in an increase in sausage hardness and chewiness and a decrease in lightness (L*) with respect to the control sausage. Sensory evaluation indicated that rosemary essential oil and its leaves increased the taste and the aroma scores of turkey sausage depending on the concentration. The obtained results also showed that rosemary leaves (0.5%) were more effective than essential oil in reducing total plate counts, TBARS, K232, and K270 values during chill storage, in comparison with the control product. This will contribute to reducing the use of chemical additives, which are badly perceived by consumers, while increasing the sensory properties of such products

Criminal Violence in Libya: A Descriptive, Autopsy-Based Study of Deaths by Firearms in Tripoli

Abstract The uprisings in some Arab states during the past several years developed into armed conflicts. Therefore, the incidence of violent crimes has become more common with no reliable data on their patterns. The present study aimed to estimate the magnitude of that problem by studying the frequency and pattern of firearm deaths in Tripoli, Libya. A retrospective descriptive study of autopsy cases of firearm deaths was conducted. The data was retrieved from medico-legal reports of cases that were referred to the Forensic Medicine Department of the Judicial Expertise and Research Center, Ministry of justice, Tripoli, Libya during two years from the 1st of January 2014 to the end of December 2015. Structured data sheets were produced. Out of 4,342 unnatural deaths that were autopsied, 774 cases (17.82 %) were due to firearms. Males were commonly targeted. The mean age of victims was 31.7 ± 11 years with significant predominance in the middle age group. Incidence of firearm deaths in non-Libyans increased in 2015 to 8.5%. Homicidal cases represented 92.12% of cases. There was a significant relationship between manner of firing and sex (p ≤ 0.001). In 95.9% of cases, the firing was from a far range. Rifled weapons were used in 98.32% of cases. Head and neck were targeted in 30.8% of cases. There is a high incidence of illegal firearm use and firearm related deaths in Libya. Societal and international efforts are needed to decrease the illicit use and trafficking of such weapons

Rotation-based formulation for stable matching

We introduce new CP models for the many-to-many stable matching problem. We use the notion of rotation to give a novel encoding that is linear in the input size of the problem. We give extra filtering rules to maintain arc consistency in quadratic time. Our experimental study on hard instances of sex-equal and balanced stable matching shows the efficiency of one of our propositions as compared with the state-of-the-art constraint programming approach

Novel sequence variations in LAMA2 andSGCG genes modulating cis-acting regulatory elements and RNA secondary structure

In this study, we detected new sequence variations in LAMA2 and SGCG genes in 5 ethnic populations, and analysed their effect on enhancer composition and mRNA structure. PCR amplification and DNA sequencing were performed and followed by bioinformatics analyses using ESEfinder as well as MFOLD software. We found 3 novel sequence variations in the LAMA2 (c.3174+22_23insAT and c.6085 +12delA) and SGCG (c. * 102A/C) genes. These variations were present in 210 tested healthy controls from Tunisian, Moroccan, Algerian, Lebanese and French populations suggesting that they represent novel polymorphisms within LAMA2 and SGCG genes sequences. ESEfinder showed that the c. * 102A/C substitution created a new exon splicing enhancer in the 3'UTR of SGCG genes, whereas the c.6085 +12delA deletion was situated in the base pairing region between LAMA2 mRNA and the U1snRNA spliceosomal components. The RNA structure analyses showed that both variations modulated RNA secondary structure. Our results are suggestive of correlations between mRNA folding and the recruitment of spliceosomal components mediating splicing, including SR proteins. The contribution of common sequence variations to mRNA structural and functional diversity will contribute to a better study of gene expression

TRUST IN CROSS-CULTURAL B2B FINANCIAL SERVICE RELATIONSHIPS: THE ROLE OF SHARED VALUES

This is the accepted version of the following article: Houjeir, R. & Brennan, R. J, 'Trust in cross-cultural b2b financial service relationships: The role of shared values', Journal of Financial Services Marketing, June 2016, Vol 21(2): 90-102 The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/fsm.2016.4Trust in business-to-business supplier–customer relationships in financial services is an area of considerable research interest. The bulk of prior empirical research in this field has concentrated on trust in business relationships within a Western cultural context. However, shared values are acknowledged to be an important antecedent to trust. The premise of this study is that in circumstances where there are substantial cultural differences between parties to a supplier–customer relationship, these differences will be reflected in shared values, which will in turn be reflected in differences in the nature of trust. A qualitative study was conducted among business bankers and their corporate clients in the context of the United Arab Emirates. In all 170 respondents were interviewed; of these, 160 were paired respondents, that is, where a client and banker from the same business relationship were interviewed (yielding 80 interview dyads). Substantial differences with respect to trust were found between relationships that involved only Emiratis, those that involved Emiratis and non-Emiratis, and those that involved only non-Emiratis. For Emiratis mutual trust is substantially based on family and clan ties and exhibits strongly affective characteristics. For non-Emiratis trust is largely based on business considerations, and exhibits strongly cognitive characteristics.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

First Detection of Leishmania major DNA in Sergentomyia (Spelaeomyia) darlingi from Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Foci in Mali

Leishmania major complex is the main causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in the Old World. Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus duboscqi are recognized vectors of L. major complex in Northern and Southern Sahara, respectively. In Mali, ZCL due to L. major is an emerging public health problem, with several cases reported from different parts of the country. The main objective of the present study was to identify the vectors of Leishmania major in the Bandiagara area, in Mali. Methodology/Principal Findings: An entomological survey was carried out in the ZCL foci of Bandiagara area. Sandflies were collected using CDC miniature light traps and sticky papers. In the field, live female Phlebotomine sandflies were identified and examined for the presence of promastigotes. The remaining sandflies were identified morphologically and tested for Leishmania by PCR in the ITS2 gene. The source of blood meal of the engorged females was determined using the cyt-b sequence. Out of the 3,259 collected sandflies, 1,324 were identified morphologically, and consisted of 20 species, of which four belonged to the genus Phlebotomus and 16 to the genus Sergentomyia. Leishmania major DNA was detected by PCR in 7 of the 446 females (1.6%), specifically 2 out of 115 Phlebotomus duboscqi specimens, and 5 from 198 Sergentomyia darlingi specimens. Human DNA was detected in one blood-fed female S. darlingi positive for L. major DNA. Conclusion: Our data suggest the possible involvement of P. duboscqi and potentially S. darlingi in the transmission of ZCL in Mali