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An environmental assessment for Jordan Paper and Cardboard Factory (JPCF) was conducted. Cleaner production concept, what it can achieve, and how it can be applied to JPCF was tested. Using the waste audit tool, five independent options were identified as having potential for improvements; these were on site reuse, technological changes, raw material changes, good housekeeping, and product changes. For each option, one or more pollution prevention actions were recommended. Economical advantages that could be achieved in water, energy, and material savings were quantified and simple payback periods calculated. Analyses revealed that on-site reuse and technological changes were the most efficient environmental options. Although different actions might result in similar benefits, the decision to execute a certain action is dependent upon its economic viability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Dilemma of the Dead Sea is briefly addressed. The Dead Sea is a major source for the production of food grade Sodium Chloride (NaCl) through the use of traditional salt grinding, multiple washing stages and then evaporation. But there have been problems in producing industrial grade NaCl due to the high percentage of Ca+2 and Mg+2 ion concentrations. Pilot plant experiments were conducted to simulate a sodium chloride recovery from the Dead Sea brines. Viable engineering options were examined and tested. These options are classified either by adding certain chemicals such as the use of Sodium Stearate and Sodium Carbonate or implementing and modifying process conditions. The changes in operating conditions involve; reducing the particle size and changing both water type and contact time in the washing stages, adding a low 45rpm agitator and finally investigating the appropriate water type scheme to be used in a double washing system. These changes have significant impact in enhancing NaCl recovery especially when brackish water is used. Also brine/brackish scheme is the best choice to be used in a double washing operation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines the utilization of Arabic tautological expressions, provided by customers as a reiteration of an element of an English compound such as 'apple pie' [ fatˁi:rit ʔabil bai 'an apple pie pie'], from the perspective of Relevance Theory (RT). Data was collected from 90 participants, divided into two groups: 40 native speaker informants recruited from various shopping malls, and 50 shop assistants in Amman, Jordan. The first group was interviewed, whereas the second group filled out a multiple-choice task aimed at identifying the type of expression they typically receive when taking orders from customers. The data analysis revealed that Arabic tautological expressions are more frequently used compared to other alternatives. Drawing on RT, we argue that Arabic tautological expressions function as an ostensive stimulus. We propose that tautological expressions, utilized within a code-switching context, function as a means of pragmatic enrichment. This occurs through the process of ad hoc construction, wherein speakers refine the originally encoded concept to convey corrective or contrasting meanings. Instead of lacking information, the use of tautological phrases can be seen as a pragmatic tactic to maximize relevance by minimizing cognitive effort, optimizing successful communication of the intended meaning, and reinforcing contextual effects. • Examining the use of Arabic tautology in English compounds provided by customers. • Arabic tautologies are preferred and more frequently used than alternatives. • Drawing on RT, Arabic tautological expressions function as an ostensive stimulus. • The use of tautology conveys corrective or contrastive meanings via ad hoc concept construction. • The use of tautological phrases can be seen as a pragmatic tactic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a summary of work undertaken by the authors and their teams on a series of Qe'an (plural of Qa'), in the Badia of eastern Jordan. These basins are foci for settlement in the region, with the sites described here (Shubayqa, Wisad and the Qa' Qattafi) edged by archaeological sites dating from the late Epipalaeolithic (ca. 14,500 - 11,600 cal BP) and the Neolithic (ca. 11,700 - 6100 cal BP), and in areas still used by people today as seasonal wetlands for watering animals and growing cereal. We assess here the potential for the Qe'an sediments to provide what would be rare continuous palaeoenvironmental records for this part of SW Asia. The paper presents the first dates from the Qe'an of this region and the outline sedimentology. Much of the fill is of Holocene age, which leads to discussion of climate and landscape change over the last 15,000 years, particularly due to the close geographical relationship between these basins and archaeology. Our optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dating of the basin fill suggests that there was significantly more space in the landscape for water storage in the early Holocene, which may have therefore provided this resource for people and their livestock or game for a longer duration each year than that seen today. Linked to this are hypotheses of a more vegetated landscape during this time period. Given the environmentally marginal nature of our study area subtle changes in landscape and/or climate, and human exploitation of these resources, could have led to significant, and likely detrimental for its inhabitants, environmental impacts for the region, such as desertification. Our data are suggestive of desertification occurring, and sets up a clear hypothesis for testing by future work in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I provide a detailed history of von Neumann's "No Hidden Variables" theorem, and I argue it is a demonstration that his axiomatization mathematically captures a salient feature of the statistical transformation theory (namely, that hidden variables are incompatible). I show that this reading of von Neumann's theorem is obvious once one recalls several factors of his work. First, his axiomatization was what I call a Hilbert-style axiomatic completion; indeed, it developed from work initiated by Hilbert (and Nordheim). Second, it was responsive to specific mathematical and theoretical problems faced by Dirac and Jordan's statistical transformation theory (then called 'quantum mechanics'). Third, the axiomatization was completed across his 1927 papers and 1932 book when he identified the basic assumptions underwriting quantum mechanics, showed that these suffice for deriving the trace rule, and showed that the trace rule is incompatible with hidden variables. With this reading in mind, his claim that quantum mechanics was in "compelling logical contradiction with causality" appears as a straightforward consequence of his theorem. I conclude by reassessing the theorem's broader historical and scientific significance. • Critics believe von Neumann slandered all hidden variable theories. • However, his axiomatization was only of the statistical transformation theory (STT). • Von Neumann's theorem showed, contra Jordan's claim, that STT was complete. • The theorem thus documents the axiomatic method's successful completion of STT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries have different specifications for License Plates (LPs), therefore developing one Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) system that works well for all LPs types is a difficult task. This paper aims to develop an accurate ALPR for Jordanian LPs. Two-stage Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are used in the proposed approach, the CNNs are based on the YOLO3 framework. The sizes of LPs' characters are very small compared with the frame size, therefore the YOLO3 network architecture is modified to a shallow network to detect small objects. The proposed approach uses temporal information from different frames to remove false predictions. A set of arrays data structure is used to track the vehicles' LPs and eliminate incorrect ones. To my knowledge, the proposed approach represents the first end-to-end Jordanian ALPR that processes video stream in real-time. To my knowledge, there is no dataset for Jordanian license plates, therefore this paper proposes a new dataset called JALPR dataset. The dataset is available online and includes many real videos for moving vehicles in Jordan. Two well-known commercial software packages are used for comparisons. The experimental results in real videos from YouTube show that the proposed approach is very efficient in recognizing the Jordanian license plates and achieved 87% recognition accuracy, whereas the commercial systems have recognition accuracies that are less than 81%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the concept of technology-enhanced learning is a design already applied in developed countries and incorporated as an active part of their educational models and curricular development. This is even more relevant in the case of eLearning, where these technologies correspond to remote/virtual laboratories. They are very useful in the fields of Science and Engineering. According to this, the current work shows the incorporation of this type of technology to traditional curricular schemes, with the aim of improving the effectiveness of learning. Another objective is to build reusable infrastructures among Universities, supported with public and private government resources. Specifically, this paper shows the development, implementation, and integration of remote renewable energy laboratories in Jordan, and how they have been used within the director plan of the Jordanian government for the promotion of renewable energies in that country. This plan includes not only the design of remote laboratories but also their integration into a curricular model. This integration is done at the level of online learning courses and pilot experiences in the development of these types of learning technologies. In a distance methodology environment, the instructors must design the course structure keeping in mind that students are online, but not face-to-face in the classroom. Additionally, they have to propose adapted resources (remote laboratories, guidelines, etc.) and content. The paper focuses on the incorporation of remote/virtual laboratories, showing how these labs were developed/integrated into online courses. To validate the incorporation of this type of resources in an environment usually not online, a set of surveys was designed to support a technology evaluation methodology (TAM, Technology Acceptance Model). This evaluation allows knowing the degree of satisfaction of the technology (remote and virtual laboratories as resources) using a structured experimental method (SEM, Structural Equation Models). As a result of the application of this experimental method, the calculated statistical data indicate that the use of remote and virtual laboratories improves the perception and use of virtual environments at a distance. Also, it can be indicated that these laboratories are presented as an essential resource to improve the quality of online teaching in engineering courses. • Implementation of remote laboratories for renewable energies in Jordan. • Use of laboratories by Jordanian government for the promotion of renewable energies. • Integration of remote laboratories into a curricular model at an online level. • Evaluation and validation of students' satisfaction with a set of hypotheses by SEMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use the double Wronskian reduction technique to consider nonlocal reductions of a nonisospectral (2+1)-dimensional breaking Ablowitz--Kaup--Newell--Segur equation. Various types of solutions, including soliton-like solutions and Jordan-block solutions, for the resulting nonlocal equations are derived. Dynamics of these obtained solutions are analyzed and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The paper determines the minimum number of general or dedicated controllers which are required to guarantee the controllability of a class of dynamical systems. For this purpose, we begin by reformulating Kalman controllability condition for linear systems (A, B) in the context of the similarity equivalence class associated with A , and then we provide new alternative characterizations of such controllability condition based on the cases when matrix A is in Jordan or Frobenius form, so that theoretical aspects and computational requirements are comparatively commented. In the second part of the paper, given a system state matrix A , we solve the optimal design problem of determining the minimum number of controllers (columns of B) required for making (A, B) controllable, resorting also to the Jordan and Frobenius canonical forms in the similarity equivalence class associated with A. These canonical forms are proven to be also fundamental to provide bounds on the minimum number of dedicated controllers (corresponding to columns of B with a single non-zero element) required to make (A, B) controllable. Some examples serve to illustrate the fundamental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the quality of health care services' differences between adopted Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and paper-based record hospitals. Moreover, to identify how the quality of electronic medical records affect the quality of health care services.Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative design was utilized between two groups in this study. The study was conducted in two public hospitals in Jordan. One hospital which had adopted the EMR system in their works and another hospital that had paper-based record. A convenience sampling technique was used to select 410 health professionals from the selected hospitals (205 participants from each hospital). SERVQUAL and E-S-QUAL questionnaires were adopted to collect the data about the quality of EMR and quality of health care service. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21 was deployed to analyze the collected data.Result: The results indicate that the quality of health care services (expectation and perception) in EMRs adopted hospital is higher than the quality of health care services in the hospital using paper-based record. Quality of EMRs and its domains (efficiency, availability, fulfilment, and privacy) are high in both perception and expectation of health care professionals in EMR-adopted hospitals. Moreover, there is a significant relationship between the whole perception of the quality of electronic medical records and the quality of services, and between each domain of quality of EMRs and total perception of quality of services.Conclusion: Adoption of a high quality of EMR has a significant impact on improving the quality of health care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The decision of policymakers in developing countries to introduce nuclear power to their energy mix has been mainly conversant with the low generation cost of nuclear electricity and its competitiveness with alternative conventional and renewable sources. This paper presents an economic assessment of the levelized cost of VVER-1000 reactors deployment in a newcomer developing country, taking Jordan as an example. This paper applies recent engineering procurement and construction (EPC) cost; observed construction time and plant performance, cost escalation rates, owner cost, and real discount rates in developing countries to calculate the levelized cost of electricity. The obtained results estimate the levelized cost of nuclear generation to be between $212.32 and $277.56 per MWh. However, evidence and sensitivity analysis presented in this paper suggest that the levelized cost vary considerably and may endup being as high as $610.09 per MWh or as low as $144.81 per MWh, this is mainly due to its sensitivity to unpredictable input parameters, which in turn has significant policy implications. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • INPRO methodology is used to calculate the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). • We compute the LCOE of a VVER-1000 nuclear reactor in a newcomer developing country. • We include recent EPC cost; construction time, owner cost, and real discount rate. • We include sensitivity analysis of input parameters and their influence on the LCOE. • Results show that nuclear LCOE is higher than projections relied on by policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several oil-importing countries tend to utilize renewables as alternatives to traditional energy sources. This is to replace conventional fossil fuel plants with clean, economical, and reliable energy resources. In this paper, all possible on-grid renewable energy systems with different design scenarios are investigated to satisfy the load demand of Al-Mastaba city, Jordan. These grid-connected cases include solar photovoltaic (PV) only, wind only, hybrid PV/wind, PV/pumped hydro storage (PHS), wind/PHS, and hybrid PV/wind/PHS systems. In each scenario, the optimal sizing and energy management strategy are achieved using flow direction optimization algorithm. This is done by minimizing the grid usage factor (GUF). The decision variables include the number of PV panels, the number of wind turbines, and/or the height of upper reservoir (UR) of the PHS facility (h hydro). The input hourly measured data for systems' components were brought from formal institutions to get realistic and future real-life recommendations. Results showed that hybrid PV/wind/PHS (Scenario 6) has the best design. It has the lowest GUF of 0.59%. It comprises of 12,692 solar panels, 28 wind turbines, and 106.98m as h hydro of the UR. The uncertainty analysis on input measured data is implemented to test the system's robustness. It is noticed that the 6th scenario released an amount of C O 2 of 122.29 t/year and the corresponding renewable storage factor is 63.72% with 0.042 $/kWh as the lowest value of levelized cost of energy. The methodology of this paper is highly recommended anywhere to reduce grid purchases and make it dispensable by adopting renewable retrofitting systems. Operational flow chart strategy of the presented and designed six on-grid renewable energy scenarios, Al-Mastaba, Jordan. [Display omitted] • All possible on-grid renewable energy systems are investigated in terms of reliability, ecological and economic indicators. • The input hourly measured data were brought to get realistic and future real-life recommendations. • Detailed mathematical modeling and a new methodology, to optimize grid purchases and makes it dispensable, are investigated. • Results showed that hybrid PV/wind/PHS is the best designed scenario among all cases. • The methodology of this paper is highly recommended anywhere to select the best renewable scenario among other scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This paper explores inequality in higher education in Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia. • We find that inequality is high in Egypt and Tunisia, but moderate in Jordan. • Family socio-economic characteristics are the primary driver of inequality. • Background affects attainment directly and indirectly, through test scores. • Public spending on higher education is regressive and may increase inequality. Abstract Struggles with inequality have been prominent in the Middle East and North Africa in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. This paper examines the extent and drivers of inequality of opportunity in attaining higher education in Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia. We find that inequality is similarly high in Egypt and Tunisia, but moderate in Jordan. Background characteristics affect attainment even after accounting for test scores, which are themselves influenced by background. Particularly in Egypt and Tunisia, where higher education is free of charge, public spending on higher education is regressive. Thus, a theoretically meritocratic and equitable system perpetuates inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extra virginity as a standard is predicated on a chemical and sensory evaluation according to the parameters set by the International Olive Council. Though a rich literature examines how food and agricultural standards are implemented in local contexts, little work has assessed how certifications redefine the local aesthetic experience of the food. In order to fill this gap, I analyze the aesthetic politics, which redefine who can taste and how they can do it. I argue that incorporating aesthetic politics into analyses of quality and standards enables tracing how this standard becomes regarded as scientific and, return, effects a re-aestheticizing of what is considered a(n) (il)legitimate taste. This re-aestheticization redefines ‘best practices’ in olive oil production, according to the new aesthetic. This particular configuration of the sensorial experience of olive oil, through its dissemination and employment as part of international-funded capacity building efforts, has social and environmental consequences across Jordan. In sum, this paper—based on 15 months of qualitative fieldwork with farmers, NGOs, mill employees, mill owners, and government officials in the Jordanian olive oil industry—explores how basic taste standards for extra virgin olive oil are discursively instilled in sensory evaluations and physically produced in farm and mill management practices. By tracing these processes, this paper furthers our understanding of how seemingly apolitical, scientific standards travel across scales and affect the ways in which people experience taste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether V + V combinations in Jordanian Arabic (JA) and English could be classified as either serial verb constructions (SVCs) or V + V compounds. Through applying the cross-linguistic criteria of SVC, which have been established in the relevant literature, it seems that V + V combinations in JA and what have been considered as V + V compounds in English satisfy all the criteria of SVC. The analysis shows that the criteria found in the literature to identify compounds and SVCs show a great deal of overlap, especially with regard to the fact that both types of construction are inseparable. We argue that the criteria discussed in this paper and in much of the literature to identify SVCs are necessary, but insufficient, conditions for SVC-hood. Alternatively, we propose that as far as JA and English are concerned, SVC and V + V compounds may exist on a continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dicroidium Gothan is an extinct seed fern that was widely distributed in Gondwana during the Triassic but has not yet been unequivocally recorded in Laurasia. In this paper, a new species of the genus, Dicroidium sinensis Sun et Deng sp. nov., is described from the Middle Triassic sediments of the Ordos Basin, northwestern China, based on macromorphology and cuticular structures. This is the first record of Dicroidium in China, indicating that the genus was not unique to Gondwana and was also present in Laurasia. Dicroidium seems to have originated in the palaeotropics in the Permian (e.g., Jordan) and then widespread and flourished in Gondwana and extended to Laurasia during the Middle-Late Triassic period, and disappeared in the Early Jurassic. This genus may have migrated from Jordan to Laurasia along the western coast of the Tethys. Additionally, galls found in the leaf of Dicroidium sinensis proves the interactions between plants and insects. • A new species of Gondwanan genus Dicroidium is first definite record in Laurasia. • Dicroidium appeared in Permian, flourished in Triassic and disappeared in the Jurassic. • Galls indicate that the interactions between plants and insects were strong in Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operational flow chart strategy of solar monofacial (mPV) and bifacial (bPV) on-grid renewable energy systems. [Display omitted] • Optimal energy management of an on-grid mPV and bPV systems are investigated. • Realistic measured data are obtained from formal institutions. • Marine Predators Optimization algorithm minimizes Loss of Power Supply Probability. • The bPV is more reliable, feasible and more ecological than the mPV solar systems. • The bifacial PV technology is recommended for future PV installations. This paper introduces an optimal energy management and a comprehensive innovative comparison between on-grid monofacial and bifacial solar photovoltaic systems in terms of energy production, reliability, economic feasibility, ecological impact, footprint area, and other performance indicators. This is to satisfy the load demand of Al-Husainya city, Jordan. Realistic measured data are obtained from authoritative companies in Jordan. This includes ambient temperature, solar irradiance, and a utility-scale load demand. The optimal sizing and energy management strategy are achieved using Marine Predators optimization algorithm. This is done by minimizing Loss of Power Supply Probability. The decision variable is the number of photovoltaic modules. The unit investigation shows that the maximum power of the bifacial panel is increased compared with a monofacial module. So, this will highly affect system size and hence reliability, footprint required area, cost and ecological indicators are impacted too. Results show that the minimized values of the objective function of Loss of Power Supply Probability for monofacial and bifacial systems are 0.3534 % and 0.2511 %, respectively. The number of monofacial and bifacial panels are 12,940 and 11,584 respectively. In addition, the area required to install the bifacial array is decreased by 10.4791 % compared with the monofacial array. Finally, four additional optimization algorithms were used to validate and compare with the obtained results using the Marine Predators algorithm. The methodology described in this paper, which adopts the bifacial photovoltaic technology, is recommended and it can be applied anywhere to get highly reliable, feasible, and more environmentally friendly solar energy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lyapunov–Floquet (L–F) theory, a powerful result of Floquet theory, is one of the main tools for the stability analysis and study of nonlinear periodic systems. In this paper, Lyapunov–Floquet and modal transformations of the nonlinear approximation model of spacecraft relative motion, containing periodic state dependent coefficients (SDC), are developed. The transformations, advantageously, retain the stability characteristics of the original nonlinear relative motion dynamics. To provide a form to which averaging method can be applied, the nonlinear approximated equation of motion is scaled using the chief's eccentricity. Through the application of L–F transformation, the linear part with periodic coefficients is reduced to time-invariant form and the transformed periodic nonlinear part has coefficients with true anomaly as the independent variable. The modal transformation reduced LF transformed equation into a form containing Jordan canonical form. Afterward, the averaging method is applied to the L–F transformed equation to describe the evolution of the motion in terms of the average values of the dynamical variables. Both the LF and modal transformed relative motion equations and the averaged equations, with chief in elliptical orbit, present forms that are useful and applicable for spacecraft guidance, navigation and control, formation flying, rendezvous and proximity operations. • Lyapunov–Floquet and modal transformations of nonlinear spacecraft relative motion are developed. • The transformations retained the stability characteristics of the original nonlinear relative motion dynamics. • To provide a form to which averaging method can be applied, the nonlinear model is scaled using chief's eccentricity. • The new models are useful for spacecraft guidance, navigation and control, formation flying, rendezvous and proximity operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) stream characterization and composition analysis to allow for an accurate estimation of its recycling potential and for effective management of the entire system. Recycling provides employment and a livelihood for vulnerable social groups such as refugees. The aim of this paper is to determine the composition of MSW in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, where approximately 430,000 Syrian refugees have passed through the camp. The representative waste samples and analysis included household waste and commercial waste produced by the refugees in the selected districts in Zaatari. The waste sampling was performed in 2015 over two seasons to ensure that the seasonal fluctuations in the composition of the waste stream are taken into consideration. Hand sorting was used for classifying the collected wastes into the categories and subcategories. The organic waste represents the main waste category with 53% of the total MSW, while plastics, textile, and paper and cardboard are 12.85%, 10.22% and 9%, respectively. Moreover, the MSW composition percentage in Zaatari Camp is similar to that in municipalities in Jordan with slight disparity. The potential recyclable materials market has been investigated in this study. Plastics and paper and cardboard have significant potential to be separated and collected for recycling purposes. Financial revenues of potential recyclables have been analyzed based on local prices. Recycling model in the camp is also proposed based on the present study findings. Consequently, these results should be taken as a baseline for all Syrian refugees camps in the Middle East, as well as, in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For successful management of construction projects and organizations, it is crucial to adopt effective management systems that can handle the various information and documents of project activities. Document Management System (DMS) is the system used to store, control, coordinate, process and/or retrieve documents whether it is in electronic or paper based format. This research aims at investigating existing electronic and paper based DMSs in a sample of small size contracting companies in Jordan. Interviews and questionnaire survey with contractors, contractors’ representatives and practitioners of DMSs in a number of small contracting companies were carried out to investigate and evaluate the components, processes, motivations and challenges of the existing and intended DMSs. Electronic formats of documents and files used in small contracting companies will be also investigated. The results of this research can help contracting companies to enhance their DMSs, and improve efficiency and performance of the processes of construction projects management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladelets and microliths have been recognized as key parts of the late prehistoric cultural dynamics on a global scale and recently discussed in relation to the range expansion of Homo sapiens in the late Pleistocene. This paper focuses on some of the current issues on bladelet technology in the Levant, including 1) the occurrences of bladelets in the Late Middle Paleolithic (LMP) and Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) and 2) evolutionary reasons for the development of the UP bladelet technology. To discuss the first issue, we examine frequencies and production technology of bladelets in the LMP, IUP, and Early Upper Paleolithic (Ahmarian) assemblages from the Jebel Qalkha area, southern Jordan. We then discuss the results in light of relevant data from other sites in the Levant. A clear increase in bladelets coincides with the Ahmarian, as already known, but we suggest that the unified production of blades and bladelets in the Ahmarian most likely derived from the IUP which provided a technological basis, on which the miniaturization of blades/bladelets was achieved in the Ahmarian through the changes in platform preparation technique. We also examine bladelet production in the LMP that shares some technological elements with the IUP bladelet production. However, they fundamentally differ from each other in the relationship of the bladelet production to the main flaking system of the whole assemblages. To examine the second issue, we evaluate performance characteristics of bladelets from a viewpoint of changing mobility patterns from the LMP to the Ahmarian and suggest that the settlement/procurement patterns since the IUP provided conditions, in which the miniaturization of blade blanks became beneficial. The employment of bladelet technology is likely to have facilitated the transportability of tools/blanks and the efficient consumption of raw material, highlighting flexible implementations in response to variable conditions of raw material availability, mobility, and provisioning strategies. The bladelet technology was increasingly employed from the IUP to the Ahmarian probably as a versatile strategy in raw material economy, which was advantageous under variable mobility patterns and thus kept its popularity for a long time until the Epipaleolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to describe the topological equivariant K -ring, in terms of generators and relations, of a Springer variety F λ of type A associated to a nilpotent operator having Jordan canonical form whose block sizes form a weakly decreasing sequence λ = (λ 1 , ... , λ l). This parallels the description of the equivariant cohomology ring of F λ due to Abe and Horiguchi and generalizes the description of ordinary topological K -ring of F λ due to Sankaran and Uma [13]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea and North Korea are divided states and armed-conflict counterparties. Peace building has been pursued since the 1953 Armistice Agreement, but no meaningful results have been achieved. Recently, tensions have risen in the transboundary maritime areas around the NLL, the provisional maritime delimitation line between the two Koreas. Two Koreas' unique circumstances require case studies between divided and/or armed-conflict States focusing on maritime areas. From the first case of maritime delimitation under the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan to the divided States and/or the armed-conflict States case, i.e. the East and West Germany case, the Cyprus case, the Northern Ireland case, the Israel-Jordan case), this paper aims to extract legal implications and lessons for the peaceful management of transboundary maritime areas and waters surrounding the NLL. Till now two Koreas have only agreed on transboundary maritime management with the issue-specific approach. For the future, in addition to the achievement of the issue-specific approach to the transboundary maritime management, it needs to consider the integrated maritime management, such as the MSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher land surface temperature (LST) in cities than their surrounding areas presents a major sustainability challenge for cities. Decision-makers and planners use the LST measurements to monitor the urban environment to reduce the urban climate's main challenges. Therefore, there is an urgent need to examine the impacts of urban features and changes on the LST. This study focused on the relationship between LST and urban land changes and the impact of these changes on LST during different periods. Although a set of studies explored the relationship between landscape features and urban LST, several aspects still need further discussion. Here, the study aims to explore the influence of landscape features and land cover patterns on land surface temperature LST in two cities (Amman and Zarqa) in Jordan, and identify which of these features (vegetation cover, built-up and population density) has the most effective and influence on LST values. Therefore, this paper is the first study about land surface temperature LST and its relations with these aspects in Jordan. This study used a mixed method approach using quantitative method (GIS) and qualitative method (comparative case studies). This study revealed that the most important features affecting the LST values were: (1) Population density; (2) Built-up; and (3) Vegetation, and in descending order from the strongest to the least effective. It is also concluded that in the city in which the population density is high, the effect of built-up areas on the values of LST is as high as possible and positive more than the cities with medium and low population density. As for the city in which the population density is medium to low, the effect of vegetation cover on the values of LST is greater, and this can be more positive than in cities with a high population density. Therefore, the study contributes to improving the planners' and policymakers' suitable future decisions for making sustainable cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HRES with PV-Wind and different types of energy storage systems. • Optimal size and efficient performance of HRES. • Bi-level mixed integer nonlinear programming optimization approach. • Real application of a stand-alone HRES in a real case study, Jordan. This paper aims to design and run a standalone hybrid renewable energy System (HRES) feeding residential building load. The suggested HRES encompasses photovoltaic panels and wind turbines as energy sources, combined with a hydrogen subsystem and a bank of batteries for energy storage. The meteorological input data includes irradiance, temperature, and wind speed for four seasonal weeks. These data sets are collected for a rural site situated in the town of Ras Munif, northern Jordan. The load profiles characterize a selected benchmark residential building. Consequently, a bi-level mixed integer nonlinear programming (BMINLP) problem is formulated to incorporate the designing problem with the energy management process. The upper level represents the sizing problem, while the lower level problem denotes the energy management strategy (EMS). Each problem has its independent objective function, constraints, and optimization variables. The EMS is an economic-based single objective optimization problem expressed as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem. On the contrary, a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) approach frames the sizing problem to optimize a techno-economic-based multi-objective function. The interaction between the two problems is that the lower problem is an embedded constraint of the upper problem. Moreover, the candidate solutions from the upper problem are treated as fixed parameters in the lower problem. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to execute the overall problem by the MATLAB toolbox. The technical and economic performance parameters, including the investment cost, maintenance, operating costs, and others, are assessed based on the best findings. The key finding demonstrates that the summer week has the lowest total cost and energy loss factor, with around 132,000 $ and 0, respectively. Furthermore, the findings reveal that the entire system's energy loss factor for each sample period is less than 0.0009. This value is substantially less than the permitted limit of 0.01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jordan has recently embarked on establishing a nuclear program in the hope that it would resolve its energy security problems, meet its increasing demand of electricity and promote economic growth through localization. This paper examines the economic risks and challenges associated with Jordan's nuclear program. It is based on a comparative cost analysis and interviews conducted with current and former Jordanian policy makers. Economically, nuclear power represents a high-risk option for Jordan as it involves three potentially costly scenarios of varying impact: project cancellation, unplanned outages and the declining costs of renewable technologies, particularly solar power. The paper also highlights other challenges facing Jordan in its pursuit of nuclear power such as opaque decision-making process and the need for an independent and competent nuclear regulatory body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for energy efficiency codes is increasing worldwide due to the continual decrease in the non-renewable energy resources such as fossil fuels. The time has come to improve the utilization of sustainable energy resources such as solar energy, wind, and water. In Jordan, the need for developing energy codes manifests itself because of the great dependency on non-renewable resources which is considered a great obstacle against the national economy strategy. This paper tests the Jordanian energy efficiency codes, whether they are effective in finding solutions to provide comfortable indoor environment with the least dependency on technical and mechanical solutions. The paper selected some items in the current Jordanian energy efficiency code that deal with solar energy, in terms of heating and cooling loads, to find optimal solutions for better building performance. It focuses on the setback regulations in the Greater Amman Municipality in Jordan to show how these regulations affect households in obtaining their solar rights. Computer simulation conducted by DEROB-LTH (Building Energy Software Tools Directory) was utilized to test the existing regulations to explore their effectiveness and efficiency in obtaining the solar right in residential buildings. The results show that the existing regulations are not successful in providing the apartment blocks in Amman with their solar energy right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragmentation and dispersion of productive activities and the emergence of global production networks (GPNs) as key organisational structures for managing production and trade at a global scale has received growing attention over the past two decades. The role of trade policy and preferential trade regimes in shaping these production networks has been documented in this literature. Our understanding of the relationship between GPNs and trade regimes remains, however, underdeveloped. By examining the case of a trade agreement implemented in Egypt and Jordan as part of the “Middle East Peace Process”, this paper highlights how the shifts in global production networks and key actors within these networks were key drivers of this agreement. It also shows how the interaction between GPN dynamics and actors, the configurations of the trade regime, and the distinct locational and regulatory factors in the two countries led to production and trade outcomes that differed from the original objectives of the trade agreement. Through this case, the paper shows that more theoretical and empirical research is needed to unpack the interaction between trade regimes and global production networks at the level of the political economy of these trade regimes and also on how the specific requirements of these regimes interact with GPN dynamics to produce distinct geographies of global flows, production, employment, and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Due to the current financial and managerial difficulties that are encountered by libraries in public universities in Jordan and the geographical diffusion of these academic institutions, the idea of establishing a consortium was proposed by the Council of Higher Education to combine these libraries. This article reviews the reality of establishing a public university libraries consortium in Jordan through answering the following questions: [1.] What are the reasons and motives for establishing a consortium? [2.] What are the potential problems and challenges facing the library members when establishing a consortium? [3.] Where the benefits regarding the economics of knowledge management achieved by the consortium? DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Using a Descriptive Method of research, this case study examines the initial goals for establishing a consortium related to the benefits achieved four years after the consortium was launched. FINDINGS: The consortium enriches the digital governmental university libraries network with information sources through a sharing mechanism. This mechanism allowed for the consortium to coordinate database subscriptions and to act as a lobby group when dealing with library vendors in an attempt to economize in subscription costs. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The paper focuses on the benefits of developing a library consortium and establishing procedures as a road map for other libraries especially in developing countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Linum usitatissimum L., known as flax, is one of the oldest crops of the Fertile Crescent. Yet, the investigations into the cultivation of this plant has still not been comprehensively examined, as the archaeobotanical data have never been investigated in detail. The developments of flax cultivation are reflected in the archaeobotanical dataset namely the linseed finds. This paper presents for the first time a complete compilation of published linseed finds from southern Levantine Bronze and Iron Age sites. The comparative investigation shows that the cultivation of flax underwent fluctuations between the mid-4th to mid-1st millennium BC. The presented archaeobotanical material shows a decline in linseed finds from the Early Bronze to the Middle Bronze Age and an increase of archaeobotanical flax finds in the Iron Age. The supposed reduction of flax cultivation during the Middle and Late Bronze Age could have been caused by multiple factors (including environmental). Moreover, the analysis of the archaeobotanical record shows that the Jordan Valley and the area around Beth Shean as well as the Dead Sea played a prominent role in the cultivation of Linum usitatissimum L. throughout time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a positive integer m and a Hilbert space H an operator T in B (H) , the space of all bounded linear operators on H , is called m -selfadjoint if ∑ k = 0 m (− 1) k ( m k ) T ⁎ k T m − k = 0. In this paper, we show that if T ∈ B (H) and the spectrum of T consists of a finite number of points then it is m -selfadjoint if and only if it is an n -Jordan operator for some integer n. Moreover, we prove that if T is m -selfadjoint then T is nilpotent when it is quasinilpotent. Then we characterize m -selfadjoint weighted shift operators. Also, we show that if T is m -selfadjoint then so is p (T) when p (z) is a polynomial with real coefficients. After that, we investigate an elementary operator τ and a generalized derivation operator δ on the Hilbert-Schmidt class C 2 (H) which are m -selfadjoint. Finally, we prove that no m -selfadjoint operator on an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, can be N -supercyclic, for any N ≥ 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, many modern businesses have been adopting cloud computing platforms to deploy their workflow applications. However, scheduling workflows and allocating resources is a difficult task due to factors such as task dependency, heterogeneity, and computational intensity. Resource allocation can pose significant challenges in terms of execution time and cost. As a result, there is a need to reduce energy consumption, makespan, and cost simultaneously, which is often framed as a multi-objective optimization problem. In this paper, we have proposed an energy efficient RL-based workflow scheduling framework for cloud computing. The framework integrates the X-NOR Whirlpool hashing algorithm to enhance security by allowing legitimate users into the cloud environment. The Linearly Weighted Moving Average - Sea Lion Optimization method is used to compute minimal parameters, the Jordan Normal Form - Deep Kronecker Neural Network is utilized for resource monitoring, and the Fuzzy Self-Defense algorithm is employed for efficient selection of virtual machines. We considered the Heterogeneous Computing Scheduling Problem (HCSP) and the Grid Workload Archive (GWA) - T-12 Bitbrains datasets to compare our proposed framework with existing works. Based on the result analysis, the proposed LJC Framework outperforms the QoS-HEFT, TCCS, and SHEFTEX algorithms, achieving better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the prediction of cryptocurrency volatility. The stock market volatility represents a very influential aspect that affects a wide range of decisions in business and finance. Recently, the volatility spillovers between the cryptocurrency market and other financial markets are detecting. Nevertheless, the cryptocurrency volatility forecasts underperform the market dynamics. This paper develops a suitable model to capture the cryptocurrency volatility dynamics. We base on deep learning techniques, which produce more reliable results than standard methods in finance by capturing complex data interactions. Specifically, we refer to a Jordan Neural Network, which is a parsimonious recurrent neural network showing more predictability power compared to other models designed for time series, the Self Exciting Threshold Autoregressive model models and the Non-Linear Autoregressive Neural Networks. Empirical evidence is provided using data from three different cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Ripple, and Ethereum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigated the impact of child labour on unemployment and labour force participation, using a time series data for the Jordanian data during 1993–2018. • We applied the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound testing approach to estimate the impact of child labour on unemployment and labour force participation. • We carried out econometric tests to provide empirical evidence of the strength and direction of such impact. • We provided empirical evidence that child labour causes unemployment but there is little evidence that child labour causes labour force participation. The results support that there is one cointegrating link between the variables of the model. • After evaluating 240 models, the paper provides ARDL estimates of the best-fitted relations. Model estimates indicate that, in the long-run, child labour helps in increasing the unemployment rate but has little effect on the reduction in the labour force participation rate. In the short-run, the impact of child labour on unemployment and labour force participation is insignificant. An increase in child labour will decrease unemployment after three years. The paper aims to investigate the impact of child labour on unemployment and labour force participation. It carries out econometric tests to provide empirical evidence of the strength and direction of such impact. Although this investigation is carried out on Jordanian data during 1993–2018, it can easily be adopted by other developing countries, especially those suffering from a high incidence of child labour. The paper uses the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound testing approach to estimate the impact of child labour on unemployment and labour force participation. It also examines the variables of the study by carrying out several diagnostic and pre-estimation tests to justify model selection, including stationary, causality, and cointegrations. Depending on the results of these tests, an econometric model is suggested to estimate the effect of child labour on both unemployment and labour force participation. For testing stationarity of the variables, it applies both individual and group unit root tests. The paper provides empirical evidence that child labour causes unemployment but there is little evidence that child labour causes labour force participation. The results of the Johansen cointegration test support that there is one cointegrating link between the variables of the model. Finally, after evaluating 240 models, the paper provides ARDL estimates of the best-fitted relations. Model estimates indicate that, in the long run, child labour helps in increasing the unemployment rate but has little effect on the reduction in the labour force participation rate. In the short run, the impact of child labour on unemployment and labour force participation is insignificant. An increase in child labour will decrease unemployment after three years. Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability, as the complexity of child labour is related to a large set of economic and social factors and policy instruments. The paper includes implications for the development of economic and social policies related to child labour including compacting child labour in developing countries. It also provides a clearer picture of the relationship between child labour and unemployment as well as labour force participation. This is the first study that addresses the impact of child labour on unemployment and adult labour force participation. However, few studies that discussed the problem of child labour focused on different aspects such as the link between child labour and informal labour force and regulation or child labour and health hazards. More precisely, empirical literature that dealt with the economic impact of child labour failed to produce rigorous evidence regarding this impact. We hope that this study will serve as a starting point to illuminate the discussion on the links between child labour and major economic variables in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most algorithms for determining a Jordan basis for an endomorphism of a finite dimensional vector space suffer from the major drawback that they are computationally inefficient. In this paper, a universal and efficient algorithm for an endomorphism of a finite dimensional vector space over an arbitrary field is presented. Three computational examples are considered which show how our new algorithm works. A computational comparison to the Jordan basis algorithm in Kudo et al. (2010) completes the paper (algorithmic aspects). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to investigate one aspect of the challenges of participatory planning and development in the Jordanian context focussing on the case of refugee camp-cities. These enclaves of quasi squatter-formal settlements provide valuable insights into the complex and multifaceted process of participation in Jordan. The challenges of urban development within the camps'' high-density sub-standard environment are augmented by the lack of clear vision due to the complexity of the regional and international political context. Within this framework, an amalgamation of variables impact attempts towards a transparent and inclusive development project. The paper investigates an innovative participatory project for slums upgrading that was designed to engage the local community in its leadership and decision-making. The project adopted the principles of Good Governance and fostered social inclusion and transparency. As such, this case study offers a rare opportunity to investigate a participatory project that is true to the principles of participation and empowerment within a context that is inexperienced in such approaches. The objective of the paper is to understand the locals'' response to a new kind of project that is based on inclusiveness, transparency, and equity. The enquiry shows that local power structures will resist such a project''s approach because local elites view themselves as gatekeepers to the community. Different tactics will be used towards controlling the project''s decision-making process or thwarting approved projects. The process is highly dynamic as actors change positions and yesterday''s allies are tomorrow''s foes. Local actors play a variety of roles and they ruminate the culture of exclusion and domination. The Talbiyeh Camp Improvement project represents a case study for democratisation on the micro level and the dynamics of the process indicates that although hailed as a need by locals, a fair transparent process will face serious challenges in a context that is lacking in democratic examples and has layers of non-democratic political and social realities. Time and Authority are important variables for the success of such interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents the experience of Mercy Corps’ “Community Based Initiatives for Water Demand Management” project, a five year project (2006–2011), in terms of community-based initiatives for water management. This project was designed to build the capacity of local community-based organizations (CBOs) to raise the awareness level around water demand management (WDM) and engage community members in water management measures. It showed how local solutions decrease the reliance on public water systems and ultimately help in facing the water shortage on a national level. This paper also showed that on-site rainwater harvesting Cisterns funded through this project have been able to harvest 88,335m3 annually. The paper found that rainwater harvesting at household level was able to save an average of 24% in potable water per year. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper illustrates a new approach to forecast the potential energy savings and environmental impact of adopting energy efficient practices in the Jordanian transportation sector. This approach is based on Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and the double exponential smoothing techniques. The ANFIS model has been developed using socio-economic and transport related indicators based on annual number of vehicles, vehicle owner level, income level, and fuel prices in Jordan. The double exponential smoothing technique has been used to forecast the different transport indicators to feed the developed ANFIS model in order to forecast the transport energy demand for the next two decades. The model has been validated using testing data and has showed very accurate results of 97%. The results show that the transport energy demand is expected to increase at % 4.9yr−1 from years 2011–2030. As an example of the energy efficiency improvement in the transportation sector, this paper examines potential benefits that can be achieved through the introduction of diesel cars to the passenger cars market in Jordan. Five scenarios are suggested for implementation and investigated using the new approach on the basis of local and global trends over the period 2011–2030. It is demonstrated that introducing diesel passenger cars can slow down the growth of energy consumption in the transportation sector resulting in significant savings in the national fuel bill. It is also shown that this is an effective and feasible option for cutting down CO2 emissions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present paper investigates the potential of wind energy in selected areas in Jordan. The aim of this work is to set up promising wind farms that are able to feed electricity to the Jordanian distribution authority with excellent percentage of clean energy. There are some particular locations in Jordan where the wind potential is very promising for economical electrical power generation. Four of these promising locations are investigated in this paper for the possibility of building and investing 100MW wind turbine in each of these four locations. The environmental data needed to perform the present study are obtained from the local Meteorological department. The suggested wind turbines to be implemented in each of the four locations are selected from the international rating and specification catalogues of wind turbine manufacturers. This study reveals that the total rated wind power that can be generated from the four selected wind farms is 136MW. On the other hand, the expected total energy that can be produced from the four selected wind farms is 18.9×103 GWh. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Irbid city witnessed a rapid population growth starting from 2003 up to now, which affected the expansion of the city form. This led to awareness of an urgent need to evaluate the current urban planning practices which have been implemented and how responsive they are to land use changes. This paper investigates the role of land use change in determining the spatial model of urban growth in Irbid. The study outlines the development of planning stages from 1970 to 2017. It also explores the temporal and spatial characteristics of urban expansion by analyzing Irbid city maps at different time intervals. Quantitative methods are used by employing GIS. The literature presents the impact of developing land uses on the expansion of the city borders, and identifies the spatial patterns of urban growth. The study concludes with a spatial model of the city comprising structural plans and practical recommendations for Irbid urban development for a better understanding of the city expansion pattern. It also predicts the way of city urban development, thereby identifying its influence on land use changes. This model is, therefore, valuable for informing policy or responding to current planning practices in Irbid and other similar cities nearly considered irregular pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasing demands on energy, energy savings have witnessed a great research community attention over the last decades. Currently, home electric-energy bill causes a headache for habitants in modern cities. Many home appliances are available and to some extent are necessary for moderate life. Some of appliances failure can go unnoticed. Careful monitoring and management of current drawn for every appliance in house can save user a great deal of money. In this paper, an IoT board is designed. This board consisted mainly from a microcontroller, Wi-Fi module and current sensor is manufactured as a small printed circuit board to be connected in series with each appliance in a house. Such integration provides a layer of monitoring for the overall energy consumption and ensures proper functioning of each appliance through monitoring its current range. Each outlet and switch in the house is monitored for power consumption around the clock. A smart collection and analysis of currents drawn by different loads results in a valuable feedback for the users and a way of curtailing peak consumption for the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the monitored operation of microgrids is a leading trend in the aspect of applying the smart grid concepts, it has become a necessity to maximize the penetration of renewable power resources. In this paper, a novel real-time monitoring operation model of a microgrid is suggested, where the overall cost is mathematically modeled and included in the proposed model. The operation is achieved by assigning switching procedures of the generation sources situated within the microgrid. A continuous mathematical model is proposed for the cost function of the microgrid containing conventional fuel power plants, wind and solar renewable power generation, and battery storage systems. The inclusion of imported power from neighboring microgrids is implied in the mathematical model as well as the exported power to those grids. The mathematical model needs to be discretized in order to imply the separate time slots of the day in the model; hence the introduction of the discretized model is imperative. A simulation test case is carried on the MATLAB software platform and the simulation results are illustrated taking into consideration different practical cases of wind speed, solar irradiance, and batteries state of charge. The studied system is designed to provide electric power for a highly fluctuating load, which is a steel factory located in Jordan. The simulation test runs indicate the importance of energy storage to increase the penetration of renewable power sources in the microgrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Proppant crushing under high closure stress is widely observed in the laboratory and the field but has rarely been simulated numerically. This paper presents 3D discrete element modeling of proppant fragmentation and its influence on the fracture conductivity. A particle breakage model was implemented to simulate proppant fragmentation. A practical procedure was developed to calibrate the parameters in the breakage model using stress-strain responses and grain size distributions from laboratory crush tests. The breakage model, along with the calibrated parameters for Jordan sand, Genoa sand, and a ceramic proppant, was used in a parametric analysis for multilayer proppant packs. The influence of proppant type, particle size, and proppant mixture on proppant fragmentation and fracture conductivity was examined. The results indicate that the proppant size needed to achieve optimal fracture conductivity is greatly affected by particle fragmentation, which in turn is sensitive to closure stress and size-dependent particle strength. A Hardin breakage ratio larger than 0.05 represents the onset of excessive proppant fragmentation that can greatly decrease fracture conductivity. Highlights • A particle breakage model was implemented to simulate proppant fragmentation. • A novel calibration procedure was used to obtain the required micro-parameters of three different types of proppants. • Proppant size needed to achieve optimal fracture conductivity is largely affected by particle fragmentation. • Particle fragmentation is sensitive to closure stress and size-dependent particle strength. • Evaluation of Hardin breakage ratio can guide the selection of proppant types and sizes for a certain compressive stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) methodology has been developed and utilized to assess the overall risks to a nuclear facility. However, PSAs are challenged when it comes to accurately describing relations among events, or to accommodate newly observed data, or to consider severe accident scenarios within a current framework. To overcome such challenges and take advantage of the merits of recent systems analysis concepts, this paper develops an improved PSA approach, by integrating the current fault tree-based PSA framework with a Bayesian network. The proposed approach enables one to account for event relations beyond logic gates, to incorporate additional field observations and to conduct vulnerability assessments in an accident condition. To demonstrate the proposed Bayesian-based method, it is applied to a nuclear research reactor recently constructed in JUST, Irbid, Jordan. Several case studies are conducted to demonstrate how realistic information about events and from field inspections changes the core damage risk. In addition, critical scenarios are investigated for an accident, to perform vulnerability assessment beyond a design-basis event. Consequently, it is shown that the proposed approach provides an enhanced framework for risk assessments at nuclear facilities. This framework is ultimately expected to improve decision support for risk-informed designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A new nuclear research reactor, the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR), has completed its hot commissioning testing and is awaiting the issuance of its operation license. The JRTR is the first nuclear reactor to be constructed in Jordan. The JRTR reached its first criticality on April 25th, 2016 and is currently undergoing initial operational testing up to its full rated power. The JRTR is an open-tank-in-pool multi-purpose research reactor with a maximum rated power of 5 MW t , upgradable to 10 MW t , and thermal neutron fluxes of order of 1014 n/cm2. sec in the core region and 1013 n/cm2. sec in the reflector region. The JRTR will provide the following multi-purpose services, both domestically and internationally: education and training, neutron activation analysis, radioisotope production, material irradiation including neutron transmutation doping and various neutron beam research such as in terms of neutron imaging and neutron scattering. In this paper, the general characteristics of the JRTR and its utilization aspects are introduced. Perspectives on the instrumentation plan of the neutron beam tubes of the JRTR are proposed. Having the JRTR to be the first regional scientific research center of excellence in the Middle-East for education, training, and research in nuclear technology applications is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study considered two important aspects of dental solid waste (DSW), which is a waste stream of increasing significance due to the substantial increase in its amounts and the potential grave consequences of its mismanagement. The work examined the composition and energy content (EC) of DSW, which are of utmost importance when it comes to DSW possible recycling and reuse and its utilization for energy recovery from incineration. Samples of DSW were collected from two major dental centers in Jordan and were subjected to detailed analyses from composition and energy content perspectives. From a composition viewpoint, the DSW was divided into combustibles and non-combustibles. The findings indicated that more than 80% of DSW is made of combustible constituents of which 60% were of paper origin and the rest were made of plastic. As for energy content, standard procedures were followed using a bomb calorimeter and resulted in an energy content of about 24.0MJ/kg, which compares very favorably with many other materials and thus provides a promising potential for energy recovery. Moreover, the study proposed an empirical power correlation for calculating the EC of DSW in terms of plastic-to-paper ratio that yielded a correlation coefficient of about unity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper studies the feasibility of utilizing photovoltaic systems in a standard residential apartment in Amman city in Jordan. Data on solar radiation, sunshine duration and the ambient temperature has been recorded in Amman city. An apartment in Amman was chosen as a case study to conduct energy and economic calculations. The electrical power needs and cost were calculated for the apartment. The component design and cost of PV system required to supply required energy was calculated and the payback period for the suggested stand-alone PV system in this paper was estimated in a constant inflation rate in electricity price similar to that of interest rate. The calculated payback period was high in a stand-alone system, to decrease payback period a grid-connected PV system is suggested. Considering an annual increase of 3% in electricity price, 15% of payback period was decreased in a stand-alone PV system and 21% in a grid-connected PV system. The output results of this study show that installation of PV system in a residential flat in Jordan may not be economically rewarding owing to the high cost of PV system compared to the cost of grid electricity. A feed-in tariff law of solar electricity may help to reduce PV system cost like the case of Germany. Additional conclusions are PV systems may be economically rewarding in Jordan if applied in locations far from electrical grid or in remote large scale PV power installations to overcome economical limitations of PV technology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to examine the factors which impact on the extent to which urban housing complies with residential standards in the city of Old Salt based in Jordan. The research found that the level of compliance with residential standards is quite low and can vary from one standard to another and from one house to another due to differences in the socio-economic characteristics among people. The findings of multiple regression analysis reveal that there is a good level of public awareness of residential standards, but this does not result in complete compliance with residential standards. Factors, such as household income per month, household size, finance facilities, municipal administration culture, monitoring, enforcement and the uncertainty of residential standards have a significant impact on the extent of compliance with planning standards. Suggestions for improved urban planning practices which address these issues are summarised in the paper and include reassessed current residential standards through comprehensive legal frameworks, linking residential standards with urban design approaches, changing planning practices, developing information systems to produce effective monitoring systems of construction processes and enforcement mechanisms, the development of local staff including planners, designers and environmental engineers, supported partnerships between private and public sectors, and the use of participatory planning and citizen involvement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper shows the results of a study carried out on the central area of Irbid, Jordan in order to assess the effect of the modern urbanization process on the degradation and loss of the city’s heritage. This type of work comes as a result of the need to study the interaction between modern and heritage landscapes, which are in a direct physical contact with each other, and thus to address the problems facing sustainable development. This paper investigates a number of urban planning concerns that include: assessment of heritage/modern landscape compatibility, heritage building degradation, urban land use change and its role in the fragmentation and lack of connectivity between historic sites, visual pollution and the effectiveness of the existing urban system infrastructure. For each problem, a complete scientific analysis supported by a detailed mapping system is performed, resulting in recommendations for the necessary engineering solutions. Spatial analysis through GIS, e.g. 3D modeling, focuses on evaluating the current condition of the urban system near the heritage landscape. The paper presents important findings, such as identifying the impact of urban and infrastructural expansion, detected from historical aerial images at different epochs, on the historic center of Irbid. The study emphasizes the urgent need to solve the current problems related to the urban system, to achieve the vision of sustainability, which includes solving traffic problems for improving system accessibility, and reevaluating the policies and regulations to achieve a balanced interaction between the heritage and modern landscapes within the city. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Amman the primate capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan currently has a population in excess of 2 million, but in 1924 it consisted of little more than a collection of dwellings and some 2000–3000 inhabitants. The present paper sets out to document and explain the phenomenal expansion of “ever-growing Amman”. The physical geography of the urban region and the early growth of the city are considered at the outset and this leads directly to consideration of the highly polarised social structuring that characterises contemporary Amman. In doing this, original data derived from the recent Greater Amman Municipality''s Geographical Information System are presented. In this respect, the essential modernity of the city is exemplified. The employment and industrial bases of the city and a range of pressing contemporary issues are then considered, including transport and congestion, the provision of urban water under conditions of water stress and privatisation, and urban and regional development planning for the city. The paper concludes by emphasizing the growing regional and international geopolitical salience of the city of Amman at the start of the 21st century. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]