Within and Beyond Stereotypes of Arab Women: A Corpus-based Approach to Jordanian Women’s Portrayal in English Digital News

This study is part of a project on the representations of Jordanian women in Arabic and English digital news, and how these relate to their perceived status in their society and to Arab women’s general image in Western media. We focus on their depictions in related news stories appearing in English during the period 2014-2016 and how they compare to the overall representations of Arab women in news discourse. To this end, we combine discourse analysis approaches and corpus linguistic techniques to analyse a corpus composed of 616 articles (445,904 words) published in English mainly by 10 news websites based in several countries. We processed our data through Sketch Engine to identify the significant lexical items and expressions used by journalists to describe Jordanian women, then we classified these according to the topical frames they reflect. Finally, we related these themes to both the established stereotypes and the recent images associated with Arab women in Western media. Our results show that the most frequent topics linked to Jordanian women are: empowerment and activism, rights, oppression, work, education, family, marriage, religion and traditions. Most of these echo, in various degrees, both the conventional portrayals of Arab women in the mainstream media as oppressed victims of their societies and their emerging as protesters and fighters for their rights. Yet, these themes are addressed in different tones when it comes to Jordanian women such that religion and dress restrictions are deemphasized while rights, education, and participation in public life are highlighted. Still, some topical frames are underscored as being specifically associated with Jordanian women reflecting their particular achievements, especially, in education and working in non-traditional jobs, on the one hand, and their continuous struggle to gain more constitutional rights, on the other. While our findings shed light on sketching Jordanian women in global news, they provide further discursive evidence against the monolithic representation of Arab women in Western media

均一材と傾斜機能材料に適用可能な有限要素法解析やアイソジオメトリック解析を用いた破壊力学パラメータ計算法

東京理科大学202

Effect of electrolysis regimes on the structure and properties of coatings on aluminum alloys formed by anode-cathode microarc oxidation

Наведено результати дослідження фазового складу і властивостей МДО-покриттів на алюмінієвих сплавах. Покриття були одержані в лужно-селікатному електроліті на змінному сінусоідальному струмі і в імпульсному режимі струму. Показано, що підвищена щільність мікророзрядів при імпульсної технології збільшує сумарну енергію, що виділяється в них. Це обумовлює підвищення швидкості зростання оксидного покриття і ймовірність утворення α-Al₂O₃ фази. Одержані при мікроплазмове оксидуванні в імпульсному струмовому режимі покриття мають високу твердість і електричну міцніст

Impact Dynamics of Nonlinear Materials: FE Analysis

The paper presents an experimentally validated 3D finite element modelling impacts of viscoelastic and natural materials. It considers, in particular, the material set of ash wood and rubber in the context of the impact between the bat (the “hurley” made of ash wood) and the ball (the “sliotar” made of polyurethane-cork composite) in the Irish game of hurling. The hurley is highly anisotropic in its mechanical properties and this impact system therefore presents a unique modelling challenge. The FE models do not rely on either the assumption of linear materials models or on calibrated materials models. The FE models are able to take all three geometric, status and material nonlinearities into account yielding a close correlation with real-world impact scenario. The reported FE results were validated against experimental measurements showing an excellent correlation of more than 91% in term of maximum ball deformation

Dyes Extracted from Safflower, Medicago Sativa, and Ros Marinus Oficinalis as Photosensitizers for Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

In this work, three extracts of plant leaves were used as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). These plants are Safflower, Medicago sativa and Ros marinus oficinalis. The natural dyes were extracted before and after grinding the plant leaves. The UV-VIS absorption spectra of the three extracts in ethyl alcohol solution were measured. The DSSCs were assembled using TiO2 films on Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass. The DSSCs sensitized with the extracts of grinded leaves showed a better performance compared to those sensitized with un-grinded leaves with the highest efficiency of 0.115 % was obtained for the DSSC sensitized with Medicago sativa. The performance of the DSSCs sensitized with Safflower and Ros marinus oficinalis was significantly improved by acid treatment of the FTO substrates. Impedance spectroscopy of the fabricated cells was also carried out

Acute effects of singing on cardiovascular biomarkers

BackgroundSinging is a physical activity involving components of the vagal nerves manifested as changes in cardiac autonomic regulation.AimsThe aim of this pilot study is to investigate the acute effects of singing on biomarkers of cardiovascular health.MethodsAdult subjects were recruited from cardiology clinics to participate in a single 90-min study visit. Vascular function was measured at the fingertips with peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) before and after singing to a 14-min video led by a voice expert. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured with a chest strap sensor at baseline, during, and after singing. PAT measurements were expressed as reactive hyperemia index (RHI) and Framingham reactive hyperemia index (fRHI). Measures of HRV included root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD) and standard deviation of NN (or RR) intervals (SDNN).ResultsSixty subjects completed the study (68% female, mean age 61 ±13 years, mean BMI 32 ± 8). There was a significant increase in fRHI (1.88 ± 0.14 to 2.10 ± 0.14, p = 0.02) after singing with no significant change in the RHI (1.99 ± 0.10 to 2.12 ± 0.09, p = 0.22). There was a reduction in HRV during singing (compared to baseline) (RMSSD: 42.0 ± 5 to 32.6 ± 4, p = 0.004 and SDNN: 54 ± 4 to 33.5 ± 3, p = 0.009). HRV measures trended back toward baseline after singing.ConclusionsA short duration of singing improved vascular function acutely. Improvements were more substantial in subjects with abnormal baseline endothelial function. HRV patterns were similar to that of light-intensity exercise. Future studies should confirm favorable vascular adaptation to more sustained singing interventions.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifer: NCT03805529

The use of plasma-based deposition with ion implantation technology to produce superhard molybdenum-based coatings in a mixed (C₂H₂+N₂) atmosphere

The influence of the pressure of a mixed gaseous atmosphere (80%C₂H₂+20%N₂) and the supply of a high-voltage negative potential in a pulsed form on the elemental and phase composition, structure and physico-mechanical characteristics of the vacuum-arc molybdenum-based coatings. It is shown that in the temperature deposition range 400…550 °С as a result of plasma-chemical reactions, the maximum nitrogen atoms content in the coating does not exceed 1.5 at.%. It is found, that at the maximum pressure of Р(C₂H₂+N₂)= 2.3∙10⁻¹ Pа when the γ-MoC phase is formed, an superhard state of 50.5 GPa (at a constant potential -200 V, without additional high-voltage pulse action) and 51.1 GPa (at a constant potential -200 V, with additional high-voltage pulse action) is reached.Для вакуумно-дугових покриттів на основі молібдену досліджено вплив тиску змішаної газової атмосфери (80%C₂H₂+20%N₂) і високовольтного негативного потенціалу (подається на підкладку в імпульсної формі) на елементний і фазовий склад, структуру і фізико-механічні характеристики формованого матеріалу. Показано, що в температурному інтервалі підкладки при осадженні 400…550 °С в результаті плазмохімічних реакцій максимальний вміст атомів азоту в покритті не перевищує 1,5 ат.%. Виявлено, що при найбільшому тиску Р(C₂H₂+N₂)= 2.3∙10⁻¹ Па, коли формується фаза γ-MoC, досягається надтверде стан 50,5 ГПа (при постійному потенціалі -200 В, без додаткового високовольтного імпульсного потенціалу) і 51,1 ГПа (при постійному потенціалі -200 В, з додатковим високовольтним імпульсним потенціалом).Для вакуумно-дуговых покрытий на основе молибдена изучено влияние давления смешанной газовой атмосферы (80%C₂H₂+20%N₂) и высоковольтного отрицательного потенциала (подаваемого на подложку в импульсной форме) на элементный и фазовый состав, структуру и физико-механические характеристики формируемого материала. Показано, что в температурном интервале подложки при осаждении 400…550 °С в результате плазмохимических реакций максимальное содержание атомов азота в покрытии не превышает 1,5 ат.%. Выявлено, что при наибольшем давлении Р(C₂H₂+N₂)= 2.3∙10⁻¹ Па, когда формируется фаза γ-MoC, достигается сверхтвердое состояние 50,5 ГПа (при постоянном потенциале -200 В, без дополнительного высоковольтного импульсного потенциала) и 51,1 ГПа (при постоянном потенциале -200 В, с дополнительным высоковольтным импульсным потенциалом)

Evaluating the Impact of Mass Borrower Bailout in Jordan\u27s Microfinance Landscape

Borrower debt relief stands as a widely utilized, yet deeply contentious economic policy enacted by governments universally. This paper adopts a difference-in-differences design to study the impact of a women-targeted mass borrower relief program enacted by the government of Jordan in 2019 on credit market outcomes of formal microfinance institutions (MFIs). I find that the program led to significant credit rationing and reallocation from women and areas of higher risk to men and areas of lower risk. Post-program levels of MFI portfolio risk remain stable with no evidence supporting the existence of moral hazard among MFIs, suggesting stricter lending practices in response to the relief