SUMMARYWe have examined the male-specific phylogeography of the Levant and its surroundings by analyzing Y-chromosomal haplogroup distributions using 5874 samples (885 new) from 23 countries. The diversity within some of these haplogroups was also examined. The Levantine populations showed clustering in SNP and STR analyses when considered against a broad Middle-East and North African background. However, we also found a coastal-inland, east-west pattern of diversity and frequency distribution in several haplogroups within the small region of the Levant. Since estimates of effective population size are similar in the two regions, this strong pattern is likely to have arisen mainly from differential migrations, with different lineages introduced from the east and west.

This paper presents an investigation of the applicability of a genetic approach for solving the construction site layout problem. This problem involves coordinating the use of limited site space to accommodate temporary facilities so that transportation cost of materials is minimized. The layout problem considered in this paper is characterized by affinity weights used to model transportation costs between facilities and by geometric constraints that limit their relative positions on site. The proposed genetic algorithm generates an initial population of layouts through a sequence of mutation operations and evolves the layouts of this population through a sequence of genetic operations aiming at finding an optimal layout. The paper concludes with examples illustrating the strength and limitations of the proposed algorithm in the cases of ͑1͒ loosely versus tightly constrained layouts with equal levels of interaction between facilities; ͑2͒ loosely versus tightly packed layouts with variable levels of interactions between facilities; and ͑3͒ loosely versus tightly constrained layouts. In most problems considered where the total-objects-to-site-area ratio did not exceed 60%, the algorithm returned close to optimal solutions in a reasonable time.

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The calls for accountability in higher education have made outcome-based assessment a key accreditation component. Accreditation remains a wellregarded seal of approval on college quality, and requires the programme to set clear, appropriate, and measurable goals and courses to attain them. Furthermore, programmes must demonstrate that responsibilities associated with the goals are being carried out. Assessment leaders face various challenges including process design and implementation, faculty buy-in, and resources availability. This paper presents an outcome-based assessment approach that facilitates faculty participation while simplifying the assessment and reporting processes through effective and meaningful visualisation. The proposed approach has been implemented and used for the successful ABET accreditation of a computer science programme, and can be easily adapted to any higher education programme. ARTICLE HISTORY

This work introduces a new high-level synthesis method for self-testable RTL designs. A basic feature of this method is a structural testability model which treats testability as a structural design style integrated in the design process. The main objective is to develop a system-level synthesis tool set mapping a behavioral description onto an optimized and testable RTL design subject t o user-defined constraints. The approach involves several major components within the following system-level iteration: scheduling and allocation, constraint estimation, testability tradeoffs.