Diversité floristique du Parc National du Haut Atlas Oriental et des Massifs ayachi et Maâsker (Maroc).

Diversité floristique du Parc National du Haut Atlas Oriental et des massifs Ayachi et Maâsker (Maroc). Etant donné la rareté des études sur le Parc National du Haut Atlas Oriental et les massifs Ayachi et Maâsker, les connaissances sur la diversité floristique de ces régions, très accidentées, étaient très insuffisantes et fragmentaires. Actuellement la flore vasculaire du Parc, jbels Ayachi et Maâsker est estimée respectivement à 227, 140 et 96 espèces; la flore rare, menacée et/ou endémique constitue une part importante. Le nombre d�endémiques dans le Parc (espèces et sous espèces) représente 6.8 % de l�ensemble des endémiques marocaines. Ce nombre est très important dans l�Ayachi avec 7.5 %. Dans le Maâsker, le nombre d�endémiques est évalué à 3.9 % de l�ensemble des endémiques marocaines. La flore rare (espèces et sous-espèces) est représentée par 3.6 % de la flore totale du Parc, 4 % de la flore totale du jbel Ayachi et 4 % de la flore totale du jbel Maâsker. Par contre le taux de la flore très rare est faible, respectivement de l�ordre de 1.9 %, 2 % et 2.4 %.Flora diversity of the National Park of the Eastern High Atlas and the massifs Ayachi and Mâasker (Morocco). Considering the rare studies on the Eastern High Atlas National Park, Ayachi and Mâasker mountains, the knowledge on the flora diversity of these regions were very insufficient.Their flora is estimated currently 227, 140 and 96 species. The rare flora, threatened and/or endemic constitutes an important part. The number of endemics in the Park (species and subspecies) represents 6.8% of the endemics of Morocco. This number is very important in Ayachi (7.5%). In Maasker, the number of endemics is about 3.9% of the endemic of Morocco. The rare flora (species and subspecies) in the Park, Ayachi and Maasker is represented respectively by 3.6%, 4%, and 4%. On the other hand the very rare flora is poor respectively 1.9%, 2% and 2.4%

Improving quality of medical image compression using biorthogonal CDF wavelet based on lifting scheme and SPIHT coding

As the coming era is that of digitized medical information, an important challenge to deal with is the storage and transmission requirements of enormous data, including medical images. Compression is one of the indispensable techniques to solve this problem. In this work, we propose an algorithm for medical image compression based on a biorthogonal wavelet transform CDF 9/7 coupled with SPIHT coding algorithm, of which we applied the lifting structure to improve the drawbacks of wavelet transform. In order to enhance the compression by our algorithm, we have compared the results obtained with wavelet based filters bank. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is superior to traditional methods in both lossy and lossless compression for all tested images. Our algorithm provides very important PSNR and MSSIM values for MRI images

Spatial Mapping of Traffic Noise Levels in Urban Areas

This paper combines field data with an analytical approach to spatially map noise levels due to traffic movements at relatively high traffic volume signalized intersections utilizing the potential of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Noise data were collected using a discrete mapping technique at 29 signalized intersections, as well as between intersections, and at their respective neighborhood areas in Amman, capital of Jordan. Data were collected in three different highly congested traffic peak periods: 7:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. A portable precision sound level meter capable of measuring noise levels from 34 to 134 decibels (dB) was used during the data collection process. The highest recorded noise level at some signals was 80 dB, while the lowest was 34 dB. In fact, some signalized intersections showed higher noise levels than the acceptable or the standard ones, i.e., 65 dB for daytime and 55 dB for nighttime in residential areas at city center. Two-dimensional (2D) vector and raster maps of noise levels, at different time periods for signals' areas and neighborhoods, were spatially displayed. Results showed that the developed GIS maps could be useful for city planning and other environmental management applications for the purpose of: 1) temporal monitoring and queries of noise level changes as a function of time, 2) spatial queries to find the highest noise disturbance location and its time of the day, 3) development of an online noise information system, 4) using noise level based spatial maps as indicators of variation in land prices, and 5) forecasting and current assessment of the acoustic climate of urban areas

Elizabethan Presentation of the Islamic Script: A Socio-cultural Understanding

The Arabic Qur’?n entered Europe through Spain with Muslim conquerors in the eighth century. Though the Elizabethan treaties about Islam introduced the Qur’?nic teachings, Prophet Muhammad’s mission was rejected, and he was announced a false prophet. In Elizabethan literature, this anti-Islamic information is intently expressed against the Prophet and the Qur’?n. Crimes and evil characteristics are imputed to the stereotypes of the Moors and Turks. These evil traits are referred to the Muslims’ culture as they are represented being imbedded in the Qur’?n. Some Elizabethan dramatists have developed their interest in the Qur’?nic theology. It has been depicted to the Elizabethan audience that Qur’?n justifies the Turkish imperialism. For Marlowe, smashing or burning copies of the Qur’?n is a symbol of personal revenge and attack on religion. Keywords: Koran, Qur’?n, Muhammad, translation, Saracen, divinity, conversion, Elizabethan literature

The Fear of Conversion to Islam in Daborne’s A Christian Turn’d Turk (1609)

Robert Daborne’s A Christian Turned Turk (1609/1612) is about the conversion of Captain John Ward (1553-1622) to Islam. The play explores the threats and prizes of religious conversion, the probability of turning away from it, and then returning to Christianity and to England. Daborne depicts how Islam has regularly entered English public discourse and how Englishmen have imbued with Turkish Islamic manners and costume. Daborne emphasizes on conversion in participation of Elizabethan polemic against Islam. The conversion to Islam suggests the possibility of conversion on the basis of physical, bodily changes. The dreaded spread of Islam in England becomes a great threat. Elizabethan writers became gradually anxious with the Turks and Islam. Many Elizabethan dramatists introduced Islam as a spectre and danger to the Christian religion. Because of the fear of conversion, Daborne’s play deflects hostile remarks directed towards Ward as a Muslim outsider and it ends with the triumph of the virtue, that renegade Ward has been punished by his new faith in an indicted murder played by the Jew.

The English Koranic Images in Some Literary Writings

The Qur’ān translations into English appeared first in 1649. This English translation entitled the Arabic Qur’ān as the Koran and ambiguously represented most of the authentic Islamic teachings. Some misinformation is directed against the Prophet and the divinity of the Qur’ān. In modern English literature, the reader encounters an increasing diversity of references to the English Koran. For instance, Prophet Muhammad is an imposter and his Koran is a stock of heresy. The Koranic Satan becomes a font of challenge for the righteous. The Koranic paradise has interesting details for English readers. The Koranic image of Hell trees becomes common in the West. The Koran has been presented to the Western world as promoting Islamic extremism and threatening the Western civil society. For some modern diehard fanatics, smashing or burning copies of the Arabic Qur’ān is a symbol of personal revenge and attack on Muslims’ dignity. The spread of genuine information about Qur’ān and Prophet Muhammad helps to appreciate Islam and Muslims

Traffic Accidents at Hazardous Locations of Urban Roads

This study aims at highlighting the most contributing and influential factors to accident occurrence at hazardous locations of local urban roads, and correlating accident characteristics to different factors including geometric elements, traffic speed, pavement type, lighting conditions, type of collisions, pedestrian facilities existence and traffic conditions. The study was conducted using twenty-eight hazardous locations at Amman-Jordan roads. Each of the hazardous locations had at least twenty accidents and two fatality records per year. Data were collected through different sources that included Great Amman Municipality, Traffic Institute, Police Traffic Department and field studies. Different stepwise statistical regression models were developed to correlate accident characteristics with the studied variables. It was found that the logarithmic and linear models were the most significant and realistic models that can be used to predict the relationship between the accident characteristics as a dependent variable and the other studied variables as independent variables. The developed models were strong and predictable because the coefficient of multiple determinations was very close to the adjusted coefficient of multiple determinations. The following variables were found to be the most significant contributors to traffic accidents at hazardous locations: average running speed, posted speed, maximum and average degree of horizontal curves, number of vertical curves, median width, type of road surface, lighting (day or night), number of vehicles per hour, number of pedestrian crossing facilities and percentage of trucks. The study could open the door for planners and traffic engineers to overcome the problems associated with traffic accident occurrence at hazardous locations and enhance their safety. The developed models showed that accident characteristics such as number of accidents, number of fatalities, number of injuries, type of accident and number of vehicles involved in accidents, and statistics of hazardous locations could be predicted if the traffic conditions, geometric elements and environmental variables are known. The study could also be enhanced if incorporated with drivers’ characteristics including socio-economic data

Potential of Computer-Vision Cellular-Phone Based System to Extract Traffic Parameters

This research work investigates the potential of computer – vision cellular – phone based systems to extract traffic and pedestrian parameters; using handheld smartphones with different camera characteristics; i.e. resolution, sensor size and image depth. Various locations with different geometry and functions were selected. Different traffic parameters were extracted: vehicle spot speed and three state vehicle speed profiles (steady, acceleration and deceleration), vehicle speed and time headway relation, vehicle classifications, roadway level of service and pedestrian walking and crossing speed in light and congested traffic area. The difference between actual and measured parameters defined as error and the relationship between error and camera characteristics were investigated. Also, a linear regression models were developed to express actual measured parameters as function of smartphone measures, error as function of camera characteristics. Analysis of extracted parameters showed there was a high correlation between camera characteristics and the accuracy of measured parameters. In fact, increasing camera resolution and sensor size would give high accuracy results for all studied parameters. The percentage of error was consistently ranged, for vehicle speeds it ranged between (1.4% - 10%), for pedestrian speeds it ranged between (0.5% - 9%) and for vehicles dimensions it ranged between (10% - 25%). The outcomes of this research showed high potential accuracy of smartphone – based vision systems in extracting traffic parameters and opened the door to integrate smartphones in different transportation engineering and civil engineering applications