Search results for: insurance firms and efficiency

Authors: Pi Hsia Liang

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The rise of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks significantly changes in interconnections between people, enhancing the process of information dissemination and amplify the influence of that information. Therefore, to develop informational efficiency or signaling equilibrium type of information environment among social networks, without adverse selection effects, becomes an important issue. Thus, someone may post a piece of intentional information in relation to personal interest for trying to create marginal influence. Therefore, economists are seeking to establish theories of informational efficiency under social network environment in order to resolve adverse selection issues. Reputation could be one of the important factors in the process of creating informational efficiency. Additionally, investors how to process green information, or information of corporate social responsibility is a very important study. This study essentially employs experimental study for examining how investors use stock relevant green information in Facebook and various Taiwan local networks. Facebook, and blogs of Money DJ, Technews and cnYES, respectively, are the primary sites for this examination that also allow to differentiate effects between Facebook and other local social networks. Questionnaire is developed for such an experimental testing. Note that questionnaire allows this study to group, for example, decision frequency and length of time duration focusing on social networks that are used for discriminating investor type and competence of informed investor. This study selects 500 investors that can be separated into two respective 250 samples as the control group and 250 samples in such an experimental. The quantity of sample investor sufficiently results in statistic significance of this experimental study. The empirical results of this study can be used for explaining how financial information in relation to corporate social responsibility would be disseminated in social websites. Therefore, we can lead to better interpretation of price/earnings relationship type of study and empirical studies of green information usefulness or informational efficiency Note that the above mentioned empirical studies did not exist any social network and annual report of corporate social responsibility. This study expects to find the results that both network degree and network cluster significantly affected green information dissemination frequency. In other words, investors with more connections and with high clustered connections might exert a greater influence on their green information dissemination process. The preferred users of financial social networks could make better stock decision that could amplify effects of green information. In addition, Facebook would be more influential than other local Taiwan financial social networks, although Facebook is not a specialized financial social network. In other words, the popularity and reputation effects of Facebook significantly contribute to usefulness of green information and influence of green information. Third, it has a better chance to find rumor or cheating information in local Taiwan financial social networks than Facebook. In other words, Facebook possesses reputation effect, or a better informational efficiency. Or, even though Taiwan local financial social networks have marginal informational effects on stock price, because of shortage of informational efficiency or monitoring system, information could be a tool for those whom owning superior information.

Keywords: network effect on financial services, informational efficiency theory, social networks, social websites

Procedia PDF Downloads 246

Authors: Hande Begum Bumin Doyduk, Elif Okan Yolbulan

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Innovation is very important for success and competitiveness of countries, as well as business sectors and individuals' firms. In order to have successful and sustainable innovations, the other side of the game, consumers, should be aware of the innovations and appreciate them. In this study, the consumer innovativeness is focused and the relationship between motivated consumer innovativeness and consumer shopping styles is analyzed. Motivated consumer innovativeness scale by (Vandecasteele & Geuens, 2010) and consumer shopping styles scale by (Sproles & Kendall, 1986) is used. Data is analyzed by SPSS 20 program through realibility, factor, and correlation analysis. According to the findings of the study, there are strong positive relationships between hedonic innovativeness and recreational shopping style; social innovativeness and brand consciousness; cognitive innovativeness and price consciousness and functional innovativeness and perfectionistic high-quality conscious shopping styles.

Keywords: consumer innovativeness, consumer decision making, shopping styles, innovativeness

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Authors: Chukwumeka Daniel Ezeliora

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The Nigerian manufacturing sector plays a pivotal role in the country's economic growth and development. However, it faces numerous challenges, including operational inefficiencies and inherent risks that hinder its sustainable growth. This research aims to address these challenges by exploring the integration of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies into the manufacturing processes, ultimately enhancing operational effectiveness and risk mitigation. The core of this research involves the development of a sustainable Lean Six Sigma framework tailored to the specific needs and challenges of Nigeria's manufacturing environment. This framework aims to streamline processes, reduce waste, improve product quality, and enhance overall operational efficiency. It incorporates principles of sustainability to ensure that the proposed methodologies align with environmental and social responsibility goals. To validate the effectiveness of the integrated Lean Six Sigma approach, case studies and real-world applications within select manufacturing companies in Nigeria will be conducted. Data were collected to measure the impact of the integration on key performance indicators, such as production efficiency, defect reduction, and risk mitigation. The findings from this research provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for selected manufacturing companies in South East Nigeria. By adopting sustainable Lean Six Sigma methodologies, these organizations can optimize their operations, reduce operational risks, improve product quality, and enhance their competitiveness in the global market. In conclusion, this research aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice by developing a comprehensive framework for the integration of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies in Nigeria's manufacturing sector. This integration is envisioned to contribute significantly to the sector's sustainable growth, improved operational efficiency, and effective risk mitigation strategies, ultimately benefiting the Nigerian economy as a whole.

Keywords: lean six sigma, manufacturing, risk mitigation, sustainability, operational efficiency

Procedia PDF Downloads 207

Authors: Rabitah Zakaria, Chan M. Luan, Nor Hakimah Ramly

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The extraction of vegetable oil using aqueous extraction process assisted by ionic extended surfactant has been investigated as an alternative to hexane extraction. However, the ionic extended surfactant has not been commercialised and its safety with respect to food processing is uncertain. Hence, food-grade non-ionic surfactants (Tween 20, Span 20, and Span 80) were proposed for the extraction of residual oil from palm-pressed mesocarp fibre. Palm-pressed mesocarp fibre contains a significant amount of residual oil ( 5-10 wt %) and its recovery is beneficial as the oil contains much higher content of vitamin E, carotenoids, and sterols compared to crude palm oil. In this study, the formulation of food-grade surfactants using a combination of high hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) surfactants and low HLB surfactants to produce micro-emulsion with very low interfacial tension (IFT) was investigated. The suitable surfactant formulation was used in the oil extraction process and the efficiency of the extraction was correlated with the IFT, droplet size and viscosity. It was found that a ternary surfactant mixture with a HLB value of 15 (82% Tween 20, 12% Span 20 and 6% Span 80) was able to produce micro-emulsion with very low IFT compared to other HLB combinations. Results suggested that the IFT and droplet size highly affect the oil recovery efficiency. Finally, optimization of the operating parameters shows that the highest extraction efficiency of 78% was achieved at 1:31 solid to liquid ratio, 2 wt % surfactant solution, temperature of 50˚C, and 50 minutes contact time.

Keywords: food-grade surfactants, aqueous extraction of residual oil, palm-pressed mesocarp fibre, interfacial tension

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Authors: A. F. Huseynov, N. T. Mardanov, J. Y. Nakhchivanski

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This practical research is aimed to improve the management quality and efficiency of public administration agencies providing e-services. The monitoring system developed will provide continuous review of the websites compliance with the selected indicators, their evaluation based on the selected indicators and ranking of services according to the quality criteria. The responsible departments in the government agencies were surveyed; the questionnaire includes issues of management and feedback, e-services provided, and the application of information systems. By analyzing the main affecting factors and barriers, the recommendations will be given that lead to the relevant decisions to strengthen the state agencies competencies for the management and the provision of their services. Component 1. E-services monitoring system. Three separate monitoring activities are proposed to be executed in parallel: Continuous tracing of e-government sites using built-in web-monitoring program; this program generates several quantitative values which are basically related to the technical characteristics and the performance of websites. The expert assessment of e-government sites in accordance with the two general criteria. Criterion 1. Technical quality of the site. Criterion 2. Usability/accessibility (load, see, use). Each high-level criterion is in turn subdivided into several sub-criteria, such as: the fonts and the color of the background (Is it readable?), W3C coding standards, availability of the Robots.txt and the site map, the search engine, the feedback/contact and the security mechanisms. The on-line survey of the users/citizens – a small group of questions embedded in the e-service websites. The questionnaires comprise of the information concerning navigation, users’ experience with the website (whether it was positive or negative), etc. Automated monitoring of web-sites by its own could not capture the whole evaluation process, and should therefore be seen as a complement to expert’s manual web evaluations. All of the separate results were integrated to provide the complete evaluation picture. Component 2. Assessment of the agencies/departments efficiency in providing e-government services. - the relevant indicators to evaluate the efficiency and the effectiveness of e-services were identified; - the survey was conducted in all the governmental organizations (ministries, committees and agencies) that provide electronic services for the citizens or the businesses; - the quantitative and qualitative measures are covering the following sections of activities: e-governance, e-services, the feedback from the users, the information systems at the agencies’ disposal. Main results: 1. The software program and the set of indicators for internet sites evaluation has been developed and the results of pilot monitoring have been presented. 2. The evaluation of the (internal) efficiency of the e-government agencies based on the survey results with the practical recommendations related to the human potential, the information systems used and e-services provided.

Keywords: e-government, web-sites monitoring, survey, internal efficiency

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Authors: Abhishek Priyam, Prabha Chand

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A theoretical investigation on the effect of collector aspect ratio on the thermal performance of wavy finned absorber solar air heaters has been performed. For the constant collector area, the various performance parameters have been calculated for plane and wavy finned solar air heaters. It has been found that the performance of wavy finned solar air heater improved with the increase in the collector aspect ratio. The performance of wavy finned solar air heater has been found 30 percent higher than those of plane solar air heater. The obtained results for wavy fin solar air heaters are compared with the available experimental data of most common type solar air heaters.

Keywords: wavy fin, aspect ratio, solar air heater, thermal efficiency, collector efficiency factor, temperature rise

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Authors: Shima Naderi, Abbas Abbaszadeh Shahri

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Energy resources are reachable and affordable in Iran, thus surplus access to fossil fuels besides high level of economic growth leads to serious environmental critical such as pollutants and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, increase in average degrease and lack of water sources specially in Tehran as a capital city of Iran. As building sector consumes a huge portion of energy, taking actions towards alternative sources of energy as well as conserving non-renewable energy resources and architectural energy saving methods are the fundamental basis for achieving sustainability`s goals. This study tries to explore implantation of both high technologies and traditional issues for reduction of energy demands in buildings of Tehran and introduce some factors and instructions for achieving this purpose. Green and energy efficient buildings such as ZEBs make it possible to preserve natural resources for the next generations by reducing pollution and increasing ecosystem self-recovery. However ZEB is not widely spread in Iran because of its low economic efficiency, it is not viable for a private entrepreneur without the governmental supports. Therefore executing of Architectural Energy Efficiency can be a better option. It is necessary to experience a substructure expansion with respect to traditional residential building style. Renewable energies and passive design which are the substantial part of the history of architecture in Iran can be regenerated and employed as an essential part of designing energy efficient buildings.

Keywords: architectural energy efficiency, passive design, renewable energies, zero energy buildings

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Authors: A. Ersan, A. S. Kipcak, M. Yildirim, A. M. Erayvaz, E. M. Derun, S. Piskin, N. Tugrul

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Zinc borates are used as a multi-functional flame retardant additive for its high dehydration temperature. In this study, a new method of ultrasonic mixing was used in the synthesis of zinc borates. The reactants of zinc oxide (ZnO) and boric acid (H3BO3) were used at the constant reaction parameters of 90°C reaction temperature and 55 min of reaction time. Several molar ratios of ZnO:H3BO3 (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5) were conducted for the determination of the optimum reaction ratio. Prior to the synthesis, the characterization of the synthesized zinc borates were made by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). From the results Zinc Oxide Borate Hydrate [Zn3B6O12.3.5H2O], were synthesized optimum at the molar ratio of 1:3, with a reaction efficiency of 95.2%.

Keywords: zinc borates, ultrasonic mixing, XRD, FT-IR, reaction efficiency

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Authors: Omar Alhamad, Waleed Eid

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Reinforced concrete is a concrete lined with steel so that the materials work together in the resistance forces. Reinforcement rods or mesh are used for tensile, shear, and sometimes intense pressure in a concrete structure. Reinforced concrete is subject to many natural problems or industrial errors. The result of these problems is that it reduces the efficiency of the reinforced concrete or its usefulness. Some of these problems are cracks, earthquakes, high temperatures or fires, as well as corrosion of reinforced iron inside reinforced concrete. There are also factors of ancient buildings or monuments that require some techniques to preserve them. This research presents some general information about reinforced concrete, the pros and cons of reinforced concrete, and then presents a series of literary studies of some of the late published researches on the subject of reinforced concrete and how to preserve it, propose solutions or treatments for the treatment of reinforced concrete problems, raise efficiency and quality for a longer period. These studies have provided advanced and modern methods and techniques in the field of reinforced concrete.

Keywords: reinforced concrete, treatment, concrete, corrosion, seismic, cracks

Procedia PDF Downloads 152

Authors: Ikechukwu Ndu

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This study examines the econometric modeling of the relation between discretionary accrual earnings management, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and certain corporate governance factors with regard to listed Nigerian non-financial firms. Although discretionary accrual earnings management is a well-known and global problem that has an adverse impact on users of the financial statements, its relationship with IFRS and corporate governance is neither adequately researched nor properly systematically investigated in Nigeria. The dearth of research in the relation between discretionary accrual earnings management, IFRS and corporate governance in Nigeria has made it difficult for academics, practitioners, government setting bodies, regulators and international bodies to achieve a clearer understanding of how discretionary accrual earnings management relates to IFRS and certain corporate governance characteristics. This is the first study to the author’s best knowledge to date that makes interesting research contributions that significantly add to the literature of discretionary accrual earnings management and its relation with corporate governance and IFRS pertaining to the Nigerian context. A comprehensive review is undertaken of the literature of discretionary total accrual earnings management, IFRS, and certain corporate governance characteristics as well as the data, models, methodologies, and different estimators used in the study. Secondary financial statement, IFRS, and corporate governance data are sourced from Bloomberg database and published financial statements of Nigerian non-financial firms for the period 2004 to 2016. The methodology uses both the total and working capital accrual basis. This study has a number of interesting preliminary findings. First, there is a negative relationship between the level of discretionary accrual earnings management and the adoption of IFRS. However, this relationship does not appear to be statistically significant. Second, there is a significant negative relationship between the size of the board of directors and discretionary accrual earnings management. Third, CEO Separation of roles does not constrain earnings management, indicating the need to preserve relationships, personal connections, and maintain bonded friendships between the CEO, Chairman, and executive directors. Fourth, there is a significant negative relationship between discretionary accrual earnings management and the use of a Big Four firm as an auditor. Fifth, including shareholders in the audit committee, leads to a reduction in discretionary accrual earnings management. Sixth, the debt and return on assets (ROA) variables are significant and positively related to discretionary accrual earnings management. Finally, the company size variable indicated by the log of assets is surprisingly not found to be statistically significant and indicates that all Nigerian companies irrespective of size engage in discretionary accrual management. In conclusion, this study provides key insights that enable a better understanding of the relationship between discretionary accrual earnings management, IFRS, and corporate governance in the Nigerian context. It is expected that the results of this study will be of interest to academics, practitioners, regulators, governments, international bodies and other parties involved in policy setting and economic development in areas of financial reporting, securities regulation, accounting harmonization, and corporate governance.

Keywords: discretionary accrual earnings management, earnings manipulation, IFRS, corporate governance

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Authors: Guannan Ren, Thomas Mazzuchi, Shahram Sarkani

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Electric vehicle battery recycling has emerged as a critical process in the transition toward sustainable transportation. As the demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, so does the need to address the end-of-life management of their batteries. Electric vehicle battery recycling benefits resource recovery and supply chain stability by reclaiming valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite. The reclaimed materials can then be reintroduced into the battery manufacturing process, reducing the reliance on raw material extraction and the environmental impacts of waste. Current battery recycling rates are insufficient to meet the growing demands for raw materials. While significant progress has been made in electric vehicle battery recycling, many areas can still improve. Standardization of battery designs, increased collection and recycling infrastructures, and improved efficiency in recycling processes are essential for scaling up recycling efforts and maximizing material recovery. This work delves into key factors, such as regulatory frameworks, economic incentives, and technological processes, that influence the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of battery recycling systems. A system dynamics model that considers variables such as battery production rates, demand and price fluctuations, recycling infrastructure capacity, and the effectiveness of recycling processes is created to study how these variables are interconnected, forming feedback loops that affect the overall supply chain efficiency. Such a model can also help simulate the effects of stricter regulations on battery disposal, incentives for recycling, or investments in research and development for battery designs and advanced recycling technologies. By using the developed model, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers may gain insights into the effects of applying different policies or process updates on electric vehicle battery recycling rates.

Keywords: environmental engineering, modeling and simulation, circular economy, sustainability, transportation science, policy

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Authors: Michael Gidey Gebru

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Most of Data Envelopment Analysis models operate in a static environment with input and output parameters that are chosen by deterministic data. However, due to ambiguity brought on shifting market conditions, input and output data are not always precisely gathered in real-world scenarios. Fuzzy numbers can be used to address this kind of ambiguity in input and output data. Therefore, this work aims to expand crisp Data Envelopment Analysis into Data Envelopment Analysis with fuzzy environment. In this study, the input and output data are regarded as fuzzy triangular numbers. Then, the Data Envelopment Analysis model with fuzzy environment is solved using a multi-objective method to gauge the Decision Making Units' efficiency. Finally, the developed Data Envelopment Analysis model is illustrated with an application on real data 50 educational institutions.

Keywords: efficiency, Data Envelopment Analysis, fuzzy, higher education, input, output

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Authors: Mahmoud Y. Shokry, Rami M. El-Sherbiny

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This paper aims to highlight the role of some parameters that may be of a noticeable impact on numerical analysis/design of embankments. It presents the results of a three-dimensional (3-D) finite element analysis of a monitored earth embankment that was constructed on soft clay formation stabilized by cast in-situ piles using software PLAXIS 3D. A comparison between the predicted and the monitored responses is presented to assess the adequacy of the adopted numerical model. The model was used in the targeted parametric study. Moreover, a comparison was performed between the results of the 3-D analyses and the analytical solutions. This paper concluded that the effect of using mono pile caps led to decrease both the total and differential settlement and increased the efficiency of the piled embankment system. The study of using geogrids revealed that it can contribute in decreasing the settlement and maximizing the part of the embankment load transferred to piles. Moreover, it was found that increasing the stiffness of the geogrids provides higher values of tensile forces and hence has more effective influence on embankment load carried by piles rather than using multi-number of layers with low values of geogrid stiffness. The efficiency of the piled embankments system was also found to be greater when higher embankments are used rather than the low height embankments. The comparison between the numerical 3-D model and the theoretical design methods revealed that many analytical solutions are conservative and non-accurate rather than the 3-D finite element numerical models.

Keywords: efficiency, embankment, geogrids, soft clay

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Authors: Tunahan Sapmaz, Harun Etçi, İbrahim Şenol, Yasemin Öner

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Rotor bar dimensions have a great influence on the air-gap magnetic flux density. Therefore, poor selection of this parameter during the machine design phase causes the air-gap magnetic flux density to be distorted. Thus, it causes noise, torque fluctuation, and losses in the induction motor. On the other hand, the change in rotor bar dimensions will change the resistance of the conductor, so the current will be affected. Therefore, the increase and decrease of rotor bar current affect operation, starting torque, and efficiency. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of rotor bar dimensions on the electromagnetic performance criteria of the induction motor. Modeling of the induction motor is done by the finite element method (FEM), which is a very powerful tool. In FEM, the results generally focus on performance criteria such as torque, torque fluctuation, efficiency, and current.

Keywords: induction motor, finite element method, optimization, rotor bar

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Authors: Guillaume Schuchardt, Solenn Berson, Gerard Perrier

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Multi-junction solar cell configurations, where two sub-cells with complementary absorption are stacked and connected in series, offer an exciting approach to tackle the single junction limitations of organic solar cells and improve their power conversion efficiency. However, the augmentation of the number of layers has, as a consequence, to increase the risk of reducing the lifetime of the cell due to the ageing phenomena present at the interfaces. In this work, we study the intrinsic degradation mechanisms, under continuous illumination AM1.5G, inert atmosphere and room temperature, in single and tandem organic solar cells using Impedance Spectroscopy, IV Curves, External Quantum Efficiency, Steady-State Photocarrier Grating, Scanning Kelvin Probe and UV-Visible light.

Keywords: single and tandem organic solar cells, intrinsic degradation mechanisms, characterization: SKP, EQE, SSPG, UV-Visible, Impedance Spectroscopy, optical simulation

Procedia PDF Downloads 362

Authors: Román Rodríguez Echegoyen, Fernando Carlos López Hernández, José Manuel López Ujaque

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Interactive management of energy certification ratings has remained on the sidelines of the evolution of virtual reality (VR) despite related advances in architecture in other areas such as BIM and real-time working programs. This research studies to what extent VR software can help the stakeholders to better understand energy efficiency parameters in order to obtain reliable ratings assigned to the parts of the building. To evaluate this hypothesis, the methodology has included the construction of a software prototype. Current energy certification systems do not follow an intuitive data entry system; neither do they provide a simple or visual verification of the technical values included in the certification by manufacturers or other users. This software, by means of real-time visualization and a graphical user interface, proposes different improvements to the current energy certification systems that ease the understanding of how the certification parameters work in a building. Furthermore, the difficulty of using current interfaces, which are not friendly or intuitive for the user, means that untrained users usually get a poor idea of the grounds for certification and how the program works. In addition, the proposed software allows users to add further information, such as financial and CO₂ savings, energy efficiency, and an explanatory analysis of results for the least efficient areas of the building through a new visual mode. The software also helps the user to evaluate whether or not an investment to improve the materials of an installation is worth the cost of the different energy certification parameters. The evaluated prototype (named VEE-IS) shows promising results when it comes to representing in a more intuitive and simple manner the energy rating of the different elements of the building. Users can also personalize all the inputs necessary to create a correct certification, such as floor materials, walls, installations, or other important parameters. Working in real-time through VR allows for efficiently comparing, analyzing, and improving the rated elements, as well as the parameters that we must enter to calculate the final certification. The prototype also allows for visualizing the building in efficiency mode, which lets us move over the building to analyze thermal bridges or other energy efficiency data. This research also finds that the visual representation of energy efficiency certifications makes it easy for the stakeholders to examine improvements progressively, which adds value to the different phases of design and sale.

Keywords: energetic certification, virtual reality, augmented reality, sustainability

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Authors: Yasser M. Saad, Heba El-Sebaie Abd El-Sadek

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Some Metapenaeus monoceros cox1 gene fragments were isolated, purified, sequenced, and comparatively analyzed with some other Crustacean Cox1 gene sequences (obtained from National Center for Biotechnology Information). This work was designed for testing the efficiency of this system in reconstruction of phylogenetic relations among some Crustacean species belonging to four genera (Metapenaeus, Artemia, Daphnia and Calanus). The single nucleotide polymorphism and haplotype diversity were calculated for all estimated mt-DNA fragments. The genetic distance values were 0.292, 0.015, 0.151, and 0.09 within Metapenaeus species, Calanus species, Artemia species, and Daphnia species, respectively. The reconstructed phylogenetic tree is clustered into some unique clades. Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1) was a powerful system in reconstruction of phylogenetic relations among evaluated crustacean species.

Keywords: crustaceans, genetics, Cox1, phylogeny

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Authors: Irem Ela Yildizeli

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Advertising today has become an indispensable phenomenon both for businesses and consumers. Due to the conditions of rapid changes in the market and growth of competitiveness, the success of many of firms that produce similar merchandise depends largely on how professionally and effective they use marketing communication elements which also must have some sense of shared values between the message provider and the receiver within cultural and global trend. This paper demonstrates how consumer behaviour and communication through cultural values evaluate advertising styles. Using samples of award-winning ads from both author's and other professional's creative works, the study reveals a significant correlation between the cultural elements and advertisement reception for language and cultural norms respectively. The findings of this study draw attention to the change of communication in the beginning of the 21st century which has shaped a new style of Participatory and Experience Design in advertising.

Keywords: advertising, advertising style, culture, experience design, participatory design

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Authors: Waratthaya Maneerattana, Piyarat Dornbundit

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The study aimed to develop flipped classroom in Chemistry on ‘acid-base’ for high school students and study efficiency of students on academic achievement and problem-solving skills. The evaluating result from the experts showed that developed flipped classroom was ranked in high score level. The flipped classroom efficiency E1/E2 was higher than the criteria of 70/70. The flipped classroom was used by 24 students in grade 11 in the second semester of the academic year 2016 at Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School. Sampling group was chosen using a purposive sampling approach. The results revealed that academic achievement and problem solving skills of students after studying flipped classroom was significantly higher at .05 level.

Keywords: flipped classroom, acid-base, academic achievement, problem solving skill

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Authors: Adine Barett, Jermel Watson, Anteneh Girma, Kacem Thabet

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In information security, secure communication of data across networks has always been a problem at the forefront. Transfer of information across networks is susceptible to being exploited by attackers engaging in malicious activity. In this paper, we leverage steganography and cryptography to create a layered security solution to protect the information being transmitted. The first layer of security leverages crypto- graphic techniques to scramble the information so that it cannot be deciphered even if the steganography-based layer is compromised. The second layer of security relies on steganography to disguise the encrypted in- formation so that it cannot be seen. We consider three cryptographic cipher methods in the cryptography layer, namely, Playfair cipher, Blowfish cipher, and Hills cipher. Then, the encrypted message is passed through the least significant bit (LSB) to the steganography algorithm for further encryption. Both encryption approaches are combined efficiently to help secure information in transit over a network. This multi-layered encryption is a solution that will benefit cloud platforms, social media platforms and networks that regularly transfer private information such as banks and insurance companies.

Keywords: cryptography, steganography, layered security, Cipher, encryption

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Authors: Muhammad Akhtaruzzaman

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The impact of corporate environmental social and governance (ESG) on financial performance is often difficult to quantify despite the ESG related theories predict that ESG performance improves financial performance of a company. This research examines the link between corporate ESG performance and the financial performance of the NZX (New Zealand Stock Exchange) listed companies. For this purpose, this research utilizes mixed methods approaches to examine and understand this link. While quantitative results found no robust evidence of such a link, however, the qualitative analysis of content data suggests a strong cooccurrence exists between ESG performance and financial performance. The findings of this research have important implications for policymakers to support higher ESG-performing companies and for management practitioners to develop ESG-related strategies.

Keywords: ESG, financial performance, New Zealand firms, thematic analysis, mixed methods

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Authors: Funda Buyuk Mazari, Adnan Mazari, Antonin Havelka, Jakub Wiener, Jawad Naeem

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The use of super absorbent polymers (SAP) for moisture absorption and comfort is still unexplored. In this research the efficiency of different SAP fibrous webs are determined under different moisture percentage to examine the sorption and desorption efficiency. The SAP fibrous web with low thickness and high moisture absorption are tested with multilayer sandwich structure of car seat cover to determine the moisture absorption through cover material. Sweating guarded hot plate (SGHP) from company Atlas is used to determine the moisture permeability of different car seat cover with superabsorbent layer closed with impermeable polyurethane foam. It is observed that the SAP fibrous layers are very effective in absorbing and desorbing water vapor under extreme high and low moisture percentages respectively. In extreme humid condition (95 %RH) the 20g of SAP layer absorbs nearly 3g of water vapor per hour and reaches the maximum absorption capacity in 6 hours.

Keywords: car seat, comfort, SAF, superabsorbent

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Authors: Natalya G. Filimonova, Mariya G. Ozerova, Irina N. Ermakova

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The long-term strategy of the economic development of Russia up to 2030 is based on the concept of sustainable growth. The determining factor of such development is complex changes in the economic system which may be achieved by making progressive changes in its structure. The structural changes determine the character and the direction of economic development, as well as they include all elements of this system without exception, and their regulated character ensures the most rapid aim achievement. This article has discussed the industrial structure of the agriculture in Russia. With the use of the system of indexes, the article has determined the directions, intensity, and speed of structural shifts. The influence of structural changes on agricultural production development has been found out. It is noticed that the changes in the industrial structure are synchronized with the changes in the organisation and economic structure. Efficiency assessment of structural changes allowed to trace the efficiency of structural changes and elaborate the main directions for agricultural policy improvement.

Keywords: Russian agricultural sectors, sectoral structure, organizational and economic structure, structural changes

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Authors: Nasrin Hosseinzad, Ramin Ghasemi Shayan

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Chemotherapy is the most common procedure in the treatment of advanced cancers but is justsoberlyoperativeand toxic. Nevertheless, the efficiency of chemotherapy is restrictedowing to multiple drug resistance(MDR). Lately, plentiful preclinical experiments have revealedthatPaclitaxel-Curcumin could be an ultimateapproach to converse MDR and synergistically increase their efficiency. The connotationsamongst B-cell-lymphoma2(BCL-2) and multi-drug-resistance-associated-P-glycoprotein(MDR1) consequence of patients forecast the efficiency of paclitaxel-built chemoradiotherapy. There are evidences of the efficacy of paclitaxel in the treatment of surface-transmission of bladder-cell-carcinoma by manipulating bio-adhesive microspheres accomplishedthroughout measured release of drug at urine epithelium. In Genetically-Modified method, muco-adhesive oily constructionoftricaprylin, Tween 80, and paclitaxel group showed slighter toxicity than control in therapeutic dose. Postoperative chemotherapy-Paclitaxel might be more advantageous for survival than adjuvant chemo-radio-therapy, and coulddiminish postoperative complications in cervical cancer patients underwent a radical hysterectomy.HA-Se-PTX(Hyaluronic acid, Selenium, Paclitaxel) nanoparticles could observablyconstrain the proliferation, transmission, and invasion of metastatic cells and apoptosis. Furthermore, they exhibitedvast in vivo anti-tumor effect. Additionally, HA-Se-PTX displayedminor toxicity on mice-chef-organs. Briefly, HA-Se-PTX mightprogress into a respectednano-scale agentinrespiratory cancers. To sum up, Paclitaxel is considered a profitable anti-cancer drug in the treatment and anti-progress symptoms in malignant cancers.

Keywords: cancer, paclitaxel, chemotherapy, tumor

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Authors: A. D. Parekh, P. R. Tailor

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The Montreal protocol and Kyoto protocol underlined the need of substitution of CFC’s and HCFC’s due to their adverse impact on atmospheric ozone layer which protects earth from U.V rays. The CFCs have been entirely ruled out since 1995 and a long-term basis HCFCs must be replaced by 2020. All this events motivated HFC refrigerants which are harmless to ozone layer. In this paper thermodynamic analysis of cascade refrigeration system has been done using three different refrigerant pairs R13-R12, R290-R23, and R404A-R23. Effect of various operating parameters i.e evaporator temperature, condenser temperature, temperature difference in cascade condenser and low temperature cycle condenser temperature on performance parameters viz. COP, exergetic efficiency and refrigerant mass flow ratio have been studied. Thermodynamic analysis shows that out of three refrigerant pairs R12-R13, R290-R23 and R404A-R23 the COP of R290-R23 refrigerant pair is highest.

Keywords: thermodynamic analysis, cascade refrigeration system, COP, exergetic efficiency

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Authors: Martin Bugeja, Helen Spiropolos

Abstract:

Using a sample of U.S. firms during the period 1993-2015, this study examines whether mergers and acquisitions (M&A) impact the compensation of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in the bidding and integration phases of M&As. The study finds that after controlling for CEO power, CFOs’ total compensation is higher during M&A years and is driven by higher equity incentives. These results are robust to controlling for self-selection. Furthermore, CFOs receive a greater bonus during the year of acquisition and the year prior. The study also investigates if CFO compensation during M&A years is driven by M&A characteristics and finds that deal size and diversification are positively related to total compensation while completion time is negatively related. The results are robust to a number of sensitivity tests and additional analyses.

Keywords: chief financial officer, compensation, mergers, acquisitions

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Authors: Rituparna Pal, Faiz Ahmed

Abstract:

Neighbourhood energy efficiency is a newly emerged term to address the quality of urban strata of built environment in terms of various covariates of sustainability. The concept of sustainability paradigm in developed nations has encouraged the policymakers for developing urban scale cities to envision plans under the aegis of urban scale sustainability. The concept of neighbourhood energy efficiency is realized a lot lately just when the cities, towns and other areas comprising this massive global urban strata have started facing a strong blow from climate change, energy crisis, cost hike and an alarming shortfall in the justice which the urban areas required. So this step of urban sustainability can be easily referred more as a ‘Retrofit Action’ which is to cover up the already affected urban structure. So even if we start energy efficiency for existing cities and urban areas the initial layer remains, for which a complete model of urban sustainability still lacks definition. Urban sustainability is a broadly spoken off word with end number of parameters and policies through which the loop can be met. Out of which neighbourhood energy efficiency can be an integral part where the concept and index of neighbourhood scale indicators, block level indicators and building physics parameters can be understood, analyzed and concluded to help emerge guidelines for urban scale sustainability. The future of neighbourhood energy efficiency not only lies in energy efficiency but also important parameters like quality of life, access to green, access to daylight, outdoor comfort, natural ventilation etc. So apart from designing less energy-hungry buildings, it is required to create a built environment which will create less stress on buildings to consume more energy. A lot of literary analysis has been done in the Western countries prominently in Spain, Paris and also Hong Kong, leaving a distinct gap in the Indian scenario in exploring the sustainability at the urban strata. The site for the study has been selected in the upcoming capital city of Amaravati which can be replicated with similar neighbourhood typologies in the area. The paper suggests a methodical intent to quantify energy and sustainability indices in detail taking by involving several macro, meso and micro level covariates and parameters. Several iterations have been made both at macro and micro level and have been subjected to simulation, computation and mathematical models and finally to comparative analysis. Parameters at all levels are analyzed to suggest the best case scenarios which in turn is extrapolated to the macro level finally coming out with a proposal model for energy efficient neighbourhood and worked out guidelines with significance and correlations derived.

Keywords: energy quantification, macro scale parameters, meso scale parameters, micro scale parameters

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Authors: Zeynep Aytaç, Nuri Yücel

Abstract:

Today, as the need for high efficiency and fuel-efficient engines have increased, centrifugal compressor designs are expected to be high-efficient and have high-pressure ratios than ever. The present study represents a design methodology of centrifugal compressor placed in a mini jet engine for the design and off-design points with the utilization of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and compares the performance characteristics at the mentioned two points. Although the compressor is expected to provide the required specifications at the design point, it is known that it is important for the design to deliver the required parameters at the off-design point also as it will not operate at the design point always. It was observed that the obtained mass flow rate, pressure ratio, and efficiency values are within the limits of the design specifications for the design and off-design points. Despite having different design inputs for the mentioned two points, they reveal similar flow characteristics in the general frame.

Keywords: centrifugal compressor, computational fluid dynamics, design point, off-design point

Procedia PDF Downloads 144

Authors: Eugene Rybin

Abstract:

Reduction of nutrient losses when using mineral fertilizers is a very important and urgent challenge, which is of both economic and environmental significance. This paper shows the production of slow- and controlled release fertilizers through application of inorganic coatings, which make the released nutrients plant-available. The method of production of coated fertilizers with inorganic cover material is an alternative to other methods where polymer coatings are used. The method is based on spraying an aqueous slurry onto the surface of granules with simultaneous drying in drums under certain conditions and subsequent cooling of granules. This method of production of slow- and controlled-release fertilizers is more ecofriendly compared with others because inorganic materials are used to create a membrane. That is why the coating material is definitely biodegradable. There is also shown the effect of these coatings on the properties of fertilizers, as well as on the agrochemical efficiency and nutrient efficiency/ availability to the plants. The agrochemical tests have proved the increase of nutrient efficiency for every nutrient in compound fertilizers (NPK, NPS) for 3 consecutive years by 10-20 % and by 25-28% for urea, as well as an increase in crop yield, by 10-15% in general, and its quality. Moreover, the decrease in caking by almost 70% was proven as well as slowing down the release rate of nutrients from fertilizers. Control of the release rate was achieved by regulation of thickness and contents of coating materials. All of those characteristics were researched according to the standard-used methods. The performed research has developed the fertilizer technology of slow- and controlled release of nutrients through applying of plant-available inorganic coatings. It leads to a better synchronization of nutrient release rate and plants needs, as well as reduces the harmful effects on the environment from the fertilizers applied.

Keywords: controlled release, fertilizers, nutrients, plant-available coatings

Procedia PDF Downloads 97

Authors: Yunice Karina Tumewang

Abstract:

As we have seen, the number of Muslim and their awareness toward financial products and services that conform to Islamic principles are growing rapidly today. Thus, it makes the market environment potentially beneficial for Shari-compliant funds with the expanding prospective client base. However, over the last decade, only small portion of this huge potential market has been covered by the established Islamic asset management firms. This study aims to examine the factors of this untapped market particularly in the demand side. This study will use the qualitative method with primary data through a questionnaire distributed to 500 samples of Muslim population. It will shed light on Muslim attitudes and expectations toward Sharia-compliant retirement planning and pensions. It will also help to raise the awareness of market players to see Islamic pension fund as a promising industry in the foreseeable future.

Keywords: Islamic marketing, Islamic finance, Islamic asset management, Islamic pension fund

Procedia PDF Downloads 338