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Assertiveness is a constructive interpersonal behavior alternative to manipulation and aggression. Medical students (MSs) have daily interpersonal interactions with colleagues, patients and families. Yet, communication deficiencies due to hesitancy to speak-up assertively lead to adverse patient outcomes. This study aimed to assess levels of assertive behaviors (ABs), and to determine its predictors within a sample of first-year Tunisian MSs. This was a cross-sectional survey including 125 first-year MSs from Tunisia. ABs were measured by the Rathus assertiveness scale. Potential independent predictors of AB were evaluated using the following questionnaires: Rosenberg self-esteem scale, interpersonal communication skills inventory short-form-36quality of life questionnaire, and general health questionnaire. In addition, some MSs' characteristics were considered ( eg ; age, sex, living with family, assertiveness training, community work, personal medical field choice, smoking, and alcohol use). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Among the 309 MSs, 125 (40.45%) responded to the survey. AB were found in 36.8% of MSs. Multiple linear regression models revealed that self-esteem global scores, sending clear messages, anxiety/depression and male sex were accountable for 31% in AB scores variance. Targeting self-esteem and interpersonal communication skills (sending clear messages) and identifying subgroups of students with anxiety/depression state would influence ABs.

ABSTRACT The objective of this article is to study the heterogeneous effect of the natural resources, the human capital, economic growth and the CO2 emissions on the ecological footprint and the bio‐capacity in the Maghreb countries. For this purpose, the multiple linear regression models was used to present the country's specific results, which indicated that economic growth increases the ecological footprint and biocapacity in Mauritania and decreases the ecological footprint in Tunisia. In addition, the depletion of natural resources decreases the ecological footprint and increases biocapacity in Tunisia while in Morocco; the human capital reduces it which contributes to the environmental degradation. On the other hand, the population growth in Libya and Morocco increased biocapacity. The results of this study also revealed the presence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in Tunisia but not in the other Maghreb countries. Therefore, some measures and policies should be taken by the governments.

This paper provides the first survey and assessment of the composition of bottled waters (BW) of Maghreb Arab countries. Parameters reported on labels of 74 (BW) brands were used as datasets. According to the Maghreb, EEC and WHO legislations and using PCA, HCA, KMC and ANOVA analysis in conjunction with analytical and empirical approaches, the study discussed the water quality and classification. The results showed that (BW) constituents comply with natural mineral (MW), spring (SW) and table waters (TW) standards for human consumption. It appears that Ca-HCO3 is the dominant facies in Algerian and Tunisian MW but in Morocco, they are Ca-HCO3 and Na-HCO3 facies. All Algerian and majority of Moroccan and Tunisian SW are Ca-HCO3 type, while both Tunisian and Moroccan TW are mainly Na-Cl type. Some of Maghreb BW are sulfated, chlorinated, bicarbonated, containing calcium, sodium and fluoride and adapted to a low sodium diet. Classification showed that BW could be categorized into four different groups. The first includes five brands of MW, rich in salts with Na + K-Cl facies. Meanwhile, two facies mark the waters of the second (Ca + Mg-SO4 and Ca + Mg-Cl), whereas the waters of the third and fourth are essentially low in salts and marked by Ca + Mg-HCO3 facies.

In 2004, the European Union proposed a project entitled the European Neighborhood Policy as a new strategic option. The project had been adopted by the European Council one year earlier in a proposal to the concerned states. The European Neighborhood Policy proposes the development of the scope of cooperation between the European Union and the southwestern Mediterranean countries through several political, economic, social, and cultural fields. Yet, the sphere of security is set at the top of its priorities. It is based on the principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, as well as on establishing security and stability between the countries on the two shores of the Mediterranean neighboring Europe. This would be based on a common framework and a larger volume of mutual cooperation that is embodied in a genuine partnership that would confront common challenges. The study explores and provides an answer to the following question: To what extent can the European Neighborhood Policy be considered a representation of regionalism and the embodiment of a genuine European desire through which it would be able to build a “security group” in the Mediterranean basin?