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This paper discusses the contributions to this special issue in the context of the African Renaissance and the subsequent need to re-define educational development from a multilingual, multicultural and pan-African perspective. Each contribution offers a different angle to the discussion: a critique of Arabization in Morocco, with questions about whether a new medium of instruction policy will prioritize people's own languages or French; an analysis of urban attitudes in Angola toward a new education policy providing for six mother tongues to be used in lower primary; a description of the challenges for stakeholders in the Seychelles to recognize that Seselwa, a creole, can be an acceptable medium of instruction; and an assessment of the opportunities and limitations in South Africa of classroom trans-languaging between African languages and English. A stronger voice needs to emerge on behalf of African languages and ways of knowing.

Objective: The main objective of this study is the evaluation of RPPW anaerobic digestion feasibility at laboratory scale under Mesophilic condition. The experiment is conducted using a two-stage biofilm digester of 5 L capacity with mobile support material. Results: Anaerobic treatment of wastewater from recycled pulp and paper industry in Morocco was tested using a laboratory-scale anaerobic biofilm digester that operated under mesophilic conditions over a 70-day. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) efficiency, volatile and total solid (VS, TS) elimination of the substrate during the process were: 78%, 52% and 48% respectively. The system was stable throughout its operating cycle with an optimum pH (7.24), alkalinity (1750 mg CaCO3/L) and a volatile fatty acid value (760 mg/L). The experimental daily biogas production measured reaches a value of 5 L/day with a composition of 71% methane, 27.6% carbon dioxide, 0.2 oxygen and 7713 ppm of the H2S. The study results show that the anaerobic biofilm reactor is a suitable technique for recycled pulp and paper wastewater (RPPW) treatment. The reactor shows high performances in terms of process stability, removal efficiency (> 70%) and biogas production. Conclusion: Anaerobic digestion is an efficient waste treatment technology that uses natural anaerobic decomposition to reduce the volume of waste while producing biogas. However, research is needed to strengthen microbial metabolism, biochemistry and the functioning of the rector to improve biogas production. The RPPW AD experiment with biofilm digester technology was stable throughout the operation period. The digester knows an overloaded in the last phase of the experiment which leads to an inhibition of biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An energy audit is a primary step toward improving energy efficiency at the facility level and ensuring a clean production. The pulp and paper sector is one of the most energy-intensive industries in Morocco. This article aimed at identifying energy conservation opportunities at a Small and Medium-sized paper industry. The audit results together with their financial viability are presented regarding the analysis of energy consumption and electrical quality issues. The paper introduces an action plan for a more efficient energy use of some specific applications such as furnaces and compressed-air installations as well. The recommended energy efficiency measures have the potential of saving about 347.85 MWh of electrical energy and 101.78 MWh of thermal energy corresponding to reductions of 11.48% and 2.22%, respectively. The total investments related to the application of the action plan is approximately 290.53 kMAD and the global payback period does not exceed one year. It was also shown that a total quantity of 283.39 t of CO 2 emissions can be saved annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve participatory paper maps by separate groups of men and women were facilitated by the High Atlas Foundation in six communities in Morocco between 2010–2020 as part of their process of participatory development. In this research, these sketch maps are analyzed for the first time. The twelve participatory paper maps underwent a gender-focused content frequency analysis. Seven communities were located using OpenStreetMap and Google Maps by a High Atlas Foundation expert. It was found that men contributed more overall geographic elements and written Arabic commentary than women, which could indicate a higher level of familiarity with their community and comfortability in communicating their opinions in writing. It was also found that there are many barriers to adding data from the sketch maps to OpenStreetMap due to language, loss of institutional memory, inconsistencies between the sketch maps of the same location, and inconsistencies between the sketch maps and satellite imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preservation of manuscripts and archive materials is a serious problem for librarians and restorers. Paper manuscript is subjected to numerous degradation factors affecting their conservation state. This research represents an attempt to evaluate the conservation restoration process applied in Moroccan libraries, especially the alkaline treatment for strengthening weakened paper. In this study, we focused on six samples of degraded and restored paper taken from three different Moroccan manuscripts aged 150, 200 and 800 years. In addition, the Japanese paper used in restoration has been characterized. A modern paper was also analyzed as reference. A three-step analytical methodology based on infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) analysis was developed before and after restoration in order to determine the effect of the consolidation treatment on the paper structure. The results obtained by XRD and ATR-FTIR disclosed the presence of barium sulfate (BaSO4) in all restored paper manuscripts. The presence of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in all considered samples was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The application of de-acidification treatment causes significant changes connected with the increase of intensity mostly in the region 1426 cm(-1), assigned to the asymmetric and symmetric CO stretching mode of calcite, indicating the effectiveness of de-acidification procedure proved by the rise of the alkaline reserve content allowing the long term preservation of paper. Observations performed by SEM magnify the typical paper morphology and the structure of fibbers, highlighting the effect of the restoration process, manifested by the reduction of impurities., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Since 2012, Moroccan kingdom had established new laws concerning the regulation of the waste water quality that should require certain qualifications to be thrown to nature. The problem was that by making the choice of having an anaerobic treatment trough an UASB (for Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) to get rid of the pollution we were confronted to an important sensitivity related to the dosing of the different reagents made to regulate the nutrition of the anaerobic cultures which ensure the pollution degradation. This paper was made to reduce the gap between the doses of reagents that are injected in every stage of the treatment and the doses that should be injected to insure the environmental requirement at the output of the station by considering the HRT "hydraulic retention time" and the large variability of the waste water composition that heads to the station, normally we can't rely on the analyses made at the output of the treatment to adjust the doses that's why we chose to combine the analyses made at the input of the treatment with the ratios mentioned earlier to find a way to adjust the doses to avoid an excessive injection or a lack of nutriment that may reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. This way, it will be economically and environmentally optimized to correct the doses just in time according to the input composition of the waste water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the phenomenon of "digital plagiarism" and its effects on scientific research in Moroccan universities. It subscribes itself in the recent research work that focuses on university students and Information Technology in this "soft age," if one may name it as such. Amid the catastrophic plummeting reading rates, the massive digital youth migration to and dense immersion into the e-content abyss, and the consequent extensive dependence on web-generated information without regular sound verification and/or academic documentation, this paper attempts to identify the causes of that phenomenon and specify the ways Moroccan university students, especially undergraduates, use online content relevant to doing/writing their graduation research papers.

Paper from an ancient library of the cultural city of Fez (Morocco) is exposed to rapid deterioration by variety of microorganisms, especially cellulolytic fungi. For this, ten isolates fungi previously isolated from historical biodeteriorated paper were screened for their ability to produce endoglucanase (CMCase), amylase, polygalacturonase and ligninase enzymes. The CMCase activity of cellulolytic strains was essayed in liquid media at 25°C for 10 days. Influence of temperature and pH were assessed for the production of CMCase by all the fungus isolated from decaying paper. The research findings from the present study demonstrate that all the tested isolates had cellulase, amylase, pectinase and ligninase activities. It was found that Mucor racemosus PF15, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus oryzae exhibited the maximum endoglucanase activity in liquid medium (0.256, 0.236, and 0.216 UI/mL in descending order) for six days. Temperature profiling revealed optimum endoglucanase activity at 25 and 30°C. Maximum activity was observed at pH 5 and pH 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several aspects of mass media in Morocco. It mentions the national press agency, Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), was established in 1959 and introduction of state-controlled radio stations and television channels in Morocco. It also mentions the press structure was moulded by being attached in the main to authorized political parties in 1956; and magazines played an important role in public debates up to the early 1970s.

Background: In order to obtain their medical degree, medical students in Morocco are required to carry out a research project and provide a thesis outlining its methodology and findings. However, little is known about the scientific output of these theses. The aim of the present study was to explore and evaluate the characteristics and publication patterns in scientific-indexed journals of medical theses written by medical students in Morocco. Methods: Data was extracted from registered theses between 2011 and 2021 in four medical schools that have an open-source documents archiving platform. Publication of these theses was assessed in 2022 using a search strategy in three indexed databases; Pubmed, Scopus and Web of science. Results: 9807 theses were registered between 2011 and 2021, 41% of them in the faculty of medicine of Rabat. 99.1% of these theses were written in French, 61.7% were reporting a retrospective case series, and 38.9% of them covered surgical disciplines. 83 (0.8%) of the registered theses were published in a scientific-indexed journal, and half of the papers (49.4%) was written in French. The graduate student was the paper's lead author in 54.2% of the papers. The articles driven from the theses were published after a mean delay of 1.49 ± 1.34 years and the targeted journals had a mean SJR score of 0.69 ± 1.21. The total number of detected citations of the 83 published papers was 216. Conclusion: The publication rate of Moroccan medical theses is very low when compared to other countries, which leads to question the real benefit of this time and resources consuming educational activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports work in the Ounagha region (Essaouira-Morocco) on a camel feed comprising press cake and pulp from the Argane tree. The enriched diet improved the microbial quality of the produced milk. This diet could help producers to develop a more nourishing, uncontaminated product in Morocco where camel milk is a significant dairy product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake misinformation has not only a significant impact on crisis management, but also on trust in scientific information and institutions. As a global center for seismic information, the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) has developed a strategy to combat false information related to earthquakes, particularly on Twitter (now known as X). This strategy includes the automation of prebunking tweets to prevent the spread of false information and, particularly unreliable claims of earthquake predictions. In the field of false information, predictions of earthquakes have a particular characteristic: their appearance follows a specific dynamic and the attention paid to them is predictable, which makes the automation of countermeasures (prebunking and debunking) both possible and relevant. Therefore, the objectives of the EMSC's automatic tweets are to warn people in advance, particularly those who may be vulnerable to earthquake misinformation, while filling the information void with verified, scientifically-based information in the meantime. This paper seeks to examine the usefulness of such a tool. It does so by analyzing users' engagement with these tweets. In addition, it focuses on two case studies, the seismic sequence in Turkey following the M7.8 earthquake on February 6, 2023 and the M6.8 Morocco earthquake on September 8, 2023. The results show engagement with the automatically generated tweets but an even greater interaction and engagement with manual tweets, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach. Recommendations include optimizing the visibility of the tweets, extending efforts beyond social media, and exploring alternative platforms. The paper advocates for a comprehensive strategy, combining automated tools with manual engagement and leveraging diverse communication channels to take into account cultural differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study attempts to come in help for Morocco by investigating rigorously the linkage between environmental degradation, measured by ecological footprint (EF), and the gross domestic product growth (EG), the human capital (HC) index and the natural resources (NR) depletion over the period of 1980:Q1 to 2021:Q1. The paper examines the validity of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in the Moroccan context. Design/methodology/approach: Unlike previous studies, which are based only on the autoregressif dynamic linear (ARDL) model, this paper investigates two recent models: the novel DYNARDL simulation approach and the Kernel-based regularized least squares (KRLS) technics and uses in addition the frequency domain causality (FDC) test. Findings: Models output say a significant and negative association between HC and the EF and a significant and positive interplay between economic growth and environmental quality in the long term. In the short term, findings reveal a significant and negative association between NR and the EF. Based on the FDC test, results conclude about a unidirectional causality from NR to the EF in short-, medium-, and long-term. Moreover, results validate the EKC hypothesis for the Moroccan environment sustainability. Originality/value: In this study, the researchers use the "ecological footprint" as dependent variable to obtain more accurate and comprehensive assessment of environmental deterioration. Based on time series data investigations, this study is the first paper, which validates the EKC hypothesis and develops important policy implications for Morocco context to achieve sustainable development targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the traditional cultivation of kif in Northern Morocco, with a specific focus on the historically significant regions of Ketama, Beni Sedath, and Beni Khalid. Recently, this topic has garnered substantial controversy and drawn attention from both national and international public opinion and political spheres. Initially, the paper delves into the early history and geographical expansion of kif cultivation in Morocco. Subsequently, it presents a comprehensive review of key legislation governing this crop. Finally, the paper provides insights into the perspectives of local farmers regarding the new laws impacting kif cultivation. This multifaceted approach offers a thorough understanding of the cultural, legal, and social dimensions of kif cultivation in Northern Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Morocco, socioeconomic fields are vulnerable to weather extreme events. This work aims to analyze the frequency and the trends of temperature and rainfall extreme events in two contrasted Moroccan regions (the Tensift in the semi-arid South, and the Bouregreg in the sub-humid North), during the second half of the 20th century. This study considers long time series of daily extreme temperatures and rainfall, recorded in the stations of Marrakech and Safi for the Tensift region, and Kasba-Tadla and Rabat- Sale for the Bouregreg region, data from four other stations (Tanger, Fes, Agadir and Ouarzazate) from outside the regions were added. Extremes are defined by using as thresholds the 1st, 5th, 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles. Results show upward trends in maximum and minimum temperatures of both regions and no generalized trends in rainfall amounts. Changes in cold events are larger than those for warm events, and the number of very cold events decrease significantly in the whole studied area. The southern region is the most affected with the changes of the temperature regime. Most of the trends found in rainfall heavy events are positive with weak magnitudes even though no statistically significant generalized trends could be identified during both seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) in utilities sectors in developing countries is underpinned by the idea that IRAs are highly effective institutional devices to signal policy credibility to private investors. But is it really so? Institutional economists tend to confirm the effectiveness of IRAs, while also highlighting the many factors that condition its positive impact on investments. Acknowledging the importance of interaction effects, this paper proposes to shift the level of analysis, moving away from IRAs to look at the overall complementarity between policy objectives, instruments, and the wider political context. In sum, it argues that IRAs are, as such, irrelevant. What matters instead is policy coherence. A comparison between two case studies on electricity policy reforms in Algeria and Morocco lends credit to the policy coherence approach. It shows that policy incoherence may deprive IRAs from any impact on sectoral evolution and that there are effective alternatives to IRA to signal policy credibility and attract investors. The paper concludes by suggesting practitioners to relax the focus on preconceived policy solutions, to be open to alternative policy approaches and to focus on helping developing countries designing coherent policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Star dunes are the tallest dunes on Earth and are amongst the larger and more spectacular aeolian landforms. Although they are widespread in modern sandy deserts, star dunes are rarely recognised in the rock record probably due to a lack of suitable sedimentary models. This paper presents a new sedimentary model for the structure of a star dune at Erg Chebbi in Morocco (Sahara Desert) on the basis of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys. Individual sedimentary structures in star dunes are similar to those in linear or barchanoid dunes, likely leading to misidentification in the rock record. However, the suite of features described in this paper will permit identification of star dunes in future studies of the rock record. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating shows that accumulation of the Erg Chebbi star dune post-dates the end of the African Humid Period (AHP). At the base of the dune, there is an ~ 8000-year hiatus in the record. Since then, the dune has grown rapidly to create a 100 m high dune within the past 1000 years and is migrating towards the west. Changes in the cross-strata support the idea that star dune construction was accompanied by a change in the wind directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The religious principles that characterize the Islamic bank have direct consequences on the models of Corporate Governance which, at the same time, must be in accordance with national and international regulations and best practices. The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of the participatory depositor in the Corporate Governance Models of the Islamic Bank, a special category of stakeholder that entrusts their savings to the Islamic Bank on the basis of the Profit and Loss Sharing principle. In the present study the models of Corporate Governance of the Islamic Bank, with regard to the protection of the interests of the participatory depositor, are analyzed through a comparative analysis of the regulations of the following Countries, Malaysia and Morocco. The objective is to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the protection of the interests of affected stakeholders in order to verify the presence of a sustainable model of Corporate Governance, namely if the participatory depositor needs more guarantees than other categories of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe a new species of the Hydropsyche angustipennis species group, Hydropsyche nador sp. n., from Selouan and Bni Snassen areas in Morocco. The males of the new species are closest to those of Hydropsyche maroccana Navás, 1936 and H. resmineda Malicky, 1977 but differ from them mainly in the shape of the apical part of phallus, dorsal keel of segment IX, and the shape of harpago. We also used the size of head, eyes, and occipital setal warts and interocular distance, as well as the associated ratios for species delimitation. In total, ten species of the genus Hydropsyche Pictet, 1834 are now known from Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to discuss gender identification processes as a dialectic of autonomy and dependence with respect to the production of hegemonic models of masculinity. The analysis which are proposed in this paper are based on results from a prolonged qualitative research on sexual conducts and construction of masculinities among young Moroccan and Muslim immigrant men living in Europe (France and Italy). By discussing specific case studies, I will analyse predatory masculinity -- one of the hegemonic representations of "being a man" among the young people interviewed -- as a gender performance where heterosexuality is conceived as an "essential" attribute of men. The text will first explore how this model of masculinity is configured as a normative reference by scientific literature on Islamic masculinities and among the young Moroccans I met. Then, I will show how this model allows the production of different social relations, especially between men, in homosocial spaces within immigrant milieu, and between Morocco and Europe. Finally, I will study the case of those young men who come to terms with this predatory model of masculinity in order to negotiate subordinate sexual orientations, such as homosexual. The paper will try to show how young men both develop new margins of manoeuvre to perform their masculinities and experience the coercive power of gender norms according to their social backgrounds and family origins. The main purpose of the text is an attempt to highlight both constricting and productive power of heterosexuality and its plural forms of expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supervision of a complex system involves the study and analysis of its operation as well as a continuous search for its improvement and optimization. Simulation in general, and discrete simulation in particular, is an appropriate tool to support different management policies and strategies. In order to carry out a simulation project, special importance must be given to the simulation process, which has led us in this paper to ask the question: is there a standard life cycle of a simulation project? or a repository of the steps to follow? In this paper, we have used the most frequently cited simulation steps in the literature to develop a simulation project life cycle called SPLC (Simulation Project Life Cycle) grouping together the main steps. Then, we were interested in the analysis of the level of use of each of the steps retained by the simulation processes described in the simulation studies considered in the literature review. Secondly, we tried to put the elaborated SPLC cycle into action through a simulation case study, this is the voluntary departure operation launched in Morocco in 2005. Thus, we carried out a simulation allowing to analyze the success rate of this operation, and also its impact on the state of the Moroccan pension fund, and this for the period going from 2005 to 2025. The study was carried out on a set of generated data randomly according to statistical distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tobacco use is the major preventable cause of premature death worldwide, responsible for about 8 million deaths per year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, such as Morocco. Adolescents' tobacco use is a matter of concern, because early initiation increases the risk of becoming a lifelong user. There exists a notable gap in the synthesis of evidence concerning tobacco use among Moroccan adolescents. Thus, the purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive view of the prevalence of tobacco products' use and associated factors among adolescents in Morocco. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect for relevant studies reporting prevalence rates of tobacco products' use among Moroccan adolescents, published until June 2024, using inclusion and exclusion criteria in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Additional searches were completed on other sources to reach unpublished reports. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist was used to assess the quality of included studies. Results: After the final screening, 22 papers met the inclusion criteria. Life-time prevalence of tobacco use ranged from 7.8% to 20.4% for cigarettes smoking, from 10.6% to 21.9% for waterpipe, from 7.9% to 9.1% for chewing tobacco and from 9.2% to 12.4% for snuff. The last 12-month prevalence of cigarette smoking was comprised between 6.9% and 10.8%. As for the prevalence of current use, ranges of (1.8%-16.4%) and (4.9%-8.4%) were noted for cigarettes and waterpipe, respectively. The most commonly highlighted risk factors for tobacco use included male sex, older age, having friends or family members who use tobacco and low perception of risk associated with tobacco use. Conclusion: Our findings reveal an alarming situation of tobacco use among Moroccan adolescents. Therefore, it is crucial that all stakeholders engage in concerted efforts to develop and implement evidence-based preventive interventions among early adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the substantial rise in wind power generation, the direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous generator has emerged as a leading technology for efficient variable speed operation, meeting grid demands effectively. This paper presents a comparative analysis of control strategies for permanent magnet synchronous generator based wind turbine using real variable wind speed data from a 2 MW of Tetouan wind farm in Morocco. The proposed approach is based on evaluating two primary control strategies: the adaptive fuzzy-proportional-integral controller and the conventional proportional-integral controller aimed at enhancing the wind turbine's output power. The simulation performed on MATLAB-Simulink indicates that pitch control mechanisms play a crucial role in optimizing power generation, also demonstrating its ability to achieve satisfactory performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although critical discourse analysis (CDA) sets out to investigate both oppressive and progressive discourses, the vast bulk of published studies seem to prioritize the former. This paper is a response to scholarly calls to engage with (non)oppressive discourses by integrating positive impulses in critical discourse analysis, and thus contribute to the growth of positive discourse analysis (PDA), a complement to CDA, which attends to the emancipatory mechanisms of resistance. Using a combination of theoretical tools, this paper takes a case study approach to explore the potentials of 'complexification' [Macgilchrist, F. (2007). Positive discourse analysis: Contesting dominant discourses by reframing the issues. Critical Approaches to Discourse Analysis Across Disciplines, 1(1), 74–94], a counter-discursive strategy for propelling marginal discourses into the dominant official school discourse. Specifically, the paper discusses three layers of complexification found in a selected Moroccan EFL textbook which has been developed, approved and distributed by the Moroccan Ministry of Education, and has been required to be used in every school, public or private. The analysis highlights the role this textbook plays in promoting emancipatory and progressive discourses about Amazigh social actors, and hence, signals a new shift in analytic focus by illuminating a concrete application of PDA in education curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate power load forecasting can facilitate effective distribution of power and avoid wasting power so as to reduce costs. Power load is affected by many factors, so accurate forecasting is more difficult, and the current methods are mostly aimed at short-term power load forecasting problems. There is no good method for long-term power load forecasting problems. Aiming at this problem, this paper proposes an LSTM-Informer model based on ensemble learning to solve the long-term load forecasting problem. The bottom layer of the model uses the long short-term memory network (LSTM) model as a learner to capture the short-term time correlation of power load, and the top layer uses the Informer model to solve the long-term dependence problem of power load forecasting. In this way, the LSTM-Informer model can not only capture short-term time correlation but can also accurately predict long-term power load. In this paper, a one-year dataset of the distribution network in the city of Tetouan in northern Morocco was used for experiments, and the mean square error (MSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were used as evaluation criteria. The long-term prediction of this model is 0.58 and 0.38 higher than that of the lstm model based on MSE and MAE. The experimental results show that the LSTM-Informer model based on ensemble learning has more advantages in long-term power load forecasting than the advanced baseline method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) have significant effects on climate, human health, and the environment. In Morocco, steps are being taken to reduce SLCP emissions, but effective policymaking requires a thorough understanding of emission sources and trends. In this paper, we present a study on the production of a database on SLCP emissions in Morocco, as well as the development of scenarios to project these emissions using LEAP software. The results of this analysis allow us to better understand the emissions sources and evaluate the impact of different emission reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stereotomy (bricklaying pattern) of masonry arches is not only a characteristic of the architecture of these structures, but also an important revealing element of mechanical safety when degradations appear in the complex material of masonry. This paper presents the effect of randomness of this parameter on the bearing capacity of masonry arch bridges based on reliability of structures. Different mechanical models that are classically used for the analysis of the bearing capacity of masonry arches can support a reliability analysis. In this paper, a rigid block model and finite-element model are presented and compared. Then, focusing on the rigid block method, stereotomy has been integrated as a geometrical parameter influencing the mechanical behavior. To this end, the stereotomy function is presented as a parameter that can be influenced by the possible degradations affecting the blocks and/or mortar joints, thus justifying its randomness and consequently integrating it in a reliability study. The reliability study carried out in this work focused on the case of a single-span masonry arch bridge located in Morocco. The reliability analysis demonstrated the importance of joints orientation and the possible perturbations that it can undergo around the classical radial configuration. The effect of these perturbations is shown for the failure multiplier, which represents the bearing capacity of the studied arch. Masonry arch bridges are a heritage of great architectural and economic importance for many countries worldwide. This is due to the historical value of these ancient constructions, but also to their durability that allowed them to still fulfil their economic role. Nevertheless, the preservation of the safety of masonry arch bridges depends on a good maintenance approach that takes into account the different hazards affecting these constructions. The uncertainties affecting the geometry are among the hazards to be taken into account by the roadway and railway managers. In this paper, the authors study the effects of uncertainties related to the bricklaying pattern of masonry blocks on the mechanical behavior of the arch bridge. For this purpose, probability-based methods are applied in conjunction with mechanical calculation techniques. The results obtained highlight the importance of considering the stereotomy parameter, which represents the bricklaying pattern of masonry blocks in the arch in maintenance operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One of the crucial issues in the contemporary finance is the prediction of the volatility of financial assets. In this paper, the authors are interested in modelling the stochastic volatility of the MAD/EURO and MAD/USD exchange rates. Design/methodology/approach: For this purpose, the authors have adopted Bayesian approach based on the MCMC (Monte Carlo Markov Chain) algorithm which permits to reproduce the main stylized empirical facts of the assets studied. The data used in this study are the daily historical series of MAD/EURO and MAD/USD exchange rates covering the period from February 2, 2000, to March 3, 2017, which represent 4,456 observations. Findings: By the aid of this approach, the authors were able to estimate all the random parameters of the stochastic volatility model which permit the prediction of the future exchange rates. The authors also have simulated the histograms, the posterior densities as well as the cumulative averages of the model parameters. The predictive efficiency of the stochastic volatility model for Morocco is capable to facilitate the management of the exchange rate in more flexible exchange regime to ensure better targeting of monetary and exchange policies. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, the novelty of the paper lies in the production of a tool for predicting the evolution of the Moroccan exchange rate and also the design of a tool for the monetary authorities who are today in a proactive conception of management of the rate of exchange. Cyclical policies such as monetary policy and exchange rate policy will introduce this type of modelling into the decision-making process to achieve a better stabilization of the macroeconomic and financial framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to economic, political, and technological stimuli, governments across the globe are progressively embracing digital transformation to devise innovative digital solutions. Despite these advancements, challenges persist in the integration of information resources, including deficiencies in government information systems and threats to network and information security. This paper investigates a novel algorithm for the filling and classification of big data within E-government systems, which comprises data management and governance, cultural and industrial shifts tied to human resource development, and data exchange protocols. A cloud computing environment serves as the infrastructure for constructing an E-government big data intelligence system. The system enables parallel data processing and classification via decision trees, thereby promoting the efficacious and sustainable employment of big data analytics in policy formulation and digital innovation. Additionally, the paper delineates the hurdles and issues that confront these agencies, and proposes potential solutions to augment citizen satisfaction and to deliver value within and beyond governmental sectors. The findings suggest that the integration of big data technologies in E-government presents an effective strategy for the provision of interactive services, thereby addressing citizens' demands for enhanced services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper proposes a home energy management system able to achieve optimized load scheduling for the operation of appliances within a given household. The system, based on the genetic algorithm, provides recommendations for the user to improve the way the energy needs of the home are handled. These recommendations not only take into account the dynamic pricing of electricity, but also the optimization for solar energy usage as well as user comfort. Historical data regarding the times at which the appliances have been used is leveraged through a statistical method to integrate the user's preference into the algorithm. Based on real life appliance consumption data collected from a household in Morocco, three scenarios are established to assess the performance of the proposed system with each scenario having different parameters. Running the scenarios on the developed MATLAB script shows a cost saving of up to 63.48% as compared to a base scenario for a specific day. These results demonstrate that significant cost saving can be achieved while maintaining user comfort. The addition of supplementary shiftable loads (i.e., an electric vehicle) to the household as well as the limitations of such home energy management systems are discussed. The main contribution of this paper is the real data and including the user comfort as a metric in in the home energy management scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper situates Morocco's invasion of the West African Songhai Empire in 1591 within the global histories of race, slavery, and capitalism. Morocco's invasion, which took place during the height of the Sàdi dynasty (1554–1659), provided Morocco with an influx of capital through Black West African slave labour on Morocco's sugar plantations and its newfound control over the lucrative gold and salt mines of West Africa. Such wealth and power bolstered Morocco's regional and global position in the vital node where Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, and Atlantic all converge. This paper will address the following questions: how did Morocco's shift from enslaving non-Muslims to enslaving Muslim West Africans from the Songhai based on their race lay down the foundations for centuries of anti-Black violence in North Africa? (2) how did Black slave labour from the Songhai allow Morocco to become England's primary source of sugar imports prior to the rise of sugar plantations in the Americas and the Caribbean? (3) how can we move beyond normative taxonomies that view North and West Africa as separate spaces instead of as regions whose conditions were shaped by one another? Ultimately, my paper will demonstrate how the Sàdi dynasty was an active player in the rise of racialized forms of slavery that eventually dominated the Atlantic for centuries and whose afterlives continue to endure on both sides of the Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses data from three Moroccan household surveys between 2001 to 2013 to address issues related to the so-called "Arab inequality puzzle". Welfare inequalities are low and declining in Arab countries and exist against a growing sense of dissatisfaction and frustration. The paper hypothesizes that welfare inequality plays a role in explanation, if seen through the lens of absolute measures and notably absolute polarization. The paper argues that the relatively worsened perception of their welfare among poor, vulnerable, and lower middle-class Moroccan households mirrors the ongoing hollowing out of the welfare distribution's middle and its growing polarization. The results of a multi-logit regression indicate that polarization is significantly and asymmetrically correlated to perception: the poorer are the households, the more polarization links negatively to their perceived welfare; and the richer are the households, the more polarization will positively correlate with their perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intricate relationship between border control and migrations is the core puzzle of this paper, which takes voluntary returns from Morocco as a case study and autonomy of migration (AoM) as a theoretical framework. More precisely, the paper examines voluntary returns from the perspective of migrants themselves to grasp border control through the lens of its disputed, distorted and sometimes subverted implementation. The paper draws on data collected during fieldwork conducted between 2016 and 2018 in Morocco, including ethnographic observations and interviews with staff from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), migrants and local intermediaries. It focuses on the case of sub-Saharan migrants leaving Morocco through "Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration" programmes led by IOM and confronts empirical data with the AoM theoretical framework. The paper demonstrates that migrants' entangled appropriations of return are defined in close relationship with a wide range of actors intervening during the process of return. Ultimately, migrants reformulate the meaning of their involvement in voluntary return into strategic, moral, relative, and symbolic terms. However, these entangled appropriations of a deportation device simultaneously reinforce social norms and institutional regulations underlying migration dynamics and border control. Eventually, the paper draws conclusions on the political effects of migrants' entangled appropriation of a deportation device on the production of intertwined im/mobility regimes between the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research paper explores the linguistic profile of a six-year old autistic boy who acquired the English language without receiving formal instruction. The study tries to shed light on the child's linguistic abilities in the light of Chomsky's innateness theory. This paper uses participant observations and informal questioning to collect data covertly in a naturalistic setting which is the school. The findings of the study revealed that school boy has a functional and communicative use of the English language, which exceeds basic knowledge. His early exposure to YouTube videos in English made him fully conversational, even verbose, contrary to his state when he is using the Moroccan dialect, a fact that implies that English might be his L1 language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleaves are pieces of paper which are meant to protect illuminations, illustrations, and opposite folios from pigment and ink deterioration. The Dalā’il al-Khayrāt or ‘Guidelines to the Blessings’, one of the most widespread prayer books for Muslims, was written by Muhammad ibn Sulaymān al- Jazūlī (died c.1465 CE), a Moroccan mystic Sufi. Depending on the place and date of production, from West (Morocco) to East (Southeast Asia), the manuscripts reflect local styles in the text design and the cover. From the sixteenth up to the end of the nineteenth century, some Moroccan copies were supplied with interleaves which were dyed in a colour range from pale yellow to bright fuchsia. This study comprises seven copies from collections in Qatar for which the physical features of the interleaves were studied and the dyestuffs were identified with HPLC. The analyses conducted at KIK-IRPA in Brussels have revealed that safflower was used as the main dyestuff until the industrial era, when imported synthetic dyes supplanted natural colorants. Conservation issues were also raised since early synthetic dyes found were very unstable to environmental factors. Then, the significance of these materials was explored in comparison with the silk curtains found in European medieval manuscripts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]