50 research outputs found
Board monitoring and firm performance: evidence from the UK
No full textThere are several research papers regarding the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance. One of the aspects of corporate governance is the board of directors. Board monitoring is a critical aspect which can be measured by number of board meetings and number of board committees. There are several studies on board diversity and composition of board of directors and firm performance, while there are few research studies on the number of board committees and board meetings and their relationship with the firm performance. Accordingly, this thesis focuses on the relationship between board monitoring measured by number of board meetings and number of board committees and firm performance in the UK. The sample is Financial Times and London Stock Exchange (FTSE) 150 which includes the largest 150 listed companies on London Stock Exchange. Firm performance is measured by an accounting measure which is return on assets (ROA) and a market performance measure which is Tobin\u27s Q. The results of this study show that there is no significant relationship between number of board meetings and firm performance. However, there is a significant negative relationship between number of board committees and firm performance. Keywords: board committees, board meetings, corporate governance, firm performance, FTSE150, UK
Adsorptive kinetic mechanism of heavy metal cations on the surface of graphite oxide and its SiO2 composite
No full textSeismic Radar Using Time Reversal Mirrors
No full textA new application of Time Reversal Mirrors (TRM) is introduced in this work. It is similar to radar surveillance, detecting and tracking moving object(s) in a remote area using seismic waves; this includes the exact location of the moving object and its speed. Recordings of high signal-to-noise ratio reference Green's functions are required, where they are used as calibration records or moving sensors. The proposed method is tested with a field experiment.The author would like to thank Mr. Paul Gettings and Mr. Ernesto Curiel for the help they provided
during field data acquisition
Strangeness Enhancement at LHC Energies Using the Thermal Model and EPOSLHC Event Generator
No full textThe strangeness enhancement signature of QGP formation at LHC energies is carefully tackled in the present study. Based on HRG, the particle ratios of mainly strange and multistrange particles are studied at energies from lower s~0.001 up to 13 TeV. The strangeness enhancement clearly appeared at more high energies, and the ratios are confronted to the available experimental data. The particle ratios are also studied using the Cosmic Ray Monte Carlo (CRMC) interface model with its two different event generators, namely, EPOS 1.99 and EPOSlhc, which show a good agreement with the model calculations at the whole range of the energy. We utilize them to produce some particles ratios. EPOS 1.99 is used to estimate particle ratios at lower energies from AGS up to the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) while EPOSlhc is used at LHC energies. The production of kaons and lambda particles is studied in terms of the mean multiplicity in p-p collisions at energies ranging from 4 to 26 GeV. We find that both HRG model and the used event generators, EPOS 1.99 and EPOSlhc, can describe the particle ratios very well. Additionally, the freeze-out parameters are estimated for different collision systems, such as p-p and Pb-Pb, at LHC energies using both models
Wind-Powered Water Injection in Offshore Oil Fields
No full textThe developments in offshore wind offer new opportunities for the powering offshore oilfields in general, and offshore water injection processes in specific. On the other hand, building on the strength of the oil industry could enable a faster development of offshore floating wind turbine technologies (for use in deep and ultra-deep water oilfields), access to capital, political connections, global reach, and state of the art technical capabilities. Both the use of water injection to enhance oil recovery in suitable reservoirs and use of offshore wind technology to harness power are proven to be commercially and technically viable, each on its own. However, the integration of both systems has not been adequately investigated. This thesis investigates the potential of autonomous stand-alone wind-powered intermittent (fully wind powered, Scenario A) and cyclic water injection (wind and gas powered, Scenario B) schemes in offshore oilfields, specifically in heterogeneous layered oil reservoirs. The results obtained from analytical evaluations and numerical simulations of a 3D synthetic model demonstrates strong oil recovery performance, economic, and environmental feasibility, under modelled reservoir and economic conditions. Improved oil recovery is achieved by improved sweep of low permeable layers and previously poor swept areas. It is evident that reservoir performance favors the more intensive schemes (higher ratio off-injection period per cycle to the on-injection period per cycle and longer off-injection duration) with higher injection rates. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis for offshore oil field characteristics (distance separating injectors and host platform, reservoir heterogeneity, reservoir symmetry, vertical transmissibility, rock wettability, reservoir pressure, capillary pressure, and intermittent injection initiation time) is conducted. Wind-powered intermittent and cyclic injection schemes are economically feasible mainly in heterogeneous layered reservoirs. Offshore sites with superb wind power provides the highest internal rate of return (IRR) for the fully-wind powered scenario. Offshore Locations with relatively lower wind resource (down to good level of wind power potential) and favourable wind variability patterns can still achieve a higher net present value (NPV), yet at a lower IRR. As larger and more costly wind power systems is required to enhance the oil recovery. The economic and environmental benefits of wind-powered injection schemes is attributed to a higher energy efficiency (in terms of the number of crude oil barrels recovered per MWh), as well as a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, fuel costs, and power transmission costs. Both fully and partially wind-powered schemes are considered more economically favourable under higher oil price environment, lower weighted average cost of capital, longer distances separating host platform and injection wells, higher carbon tax and more stringent environmental conditions.Electrical Engineering | Sustainable Energy Technolog
Tolerance to barley yellow dwarf viruses in two pairs of sister oat lines
No full textThe titers of barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDV-PAV-IL and BYDV-RPV-IL) in two pairs of sister oat lines tolerant and susceptible to BYDV-PAV were measured by double antibody sandwish enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) and by purification. There were consistent relationships between expression of symptoms and virus titers in tolerant and susceptible pairs of oat lines when inoculated in the greenhouse with PAV-IL or RPV-IL. In case of PAV-IL, the virus infects and accumulates to similar levels in shoot and root tissues of these lines. RPV-IL titers were higher in the susceptible line than in tolerant lines.Translocation of barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDV-PAV-IL and BYDV-RPV-NY) in those two pairs of sister oat lines was measured by trible antibody sandwish enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TAS-ELISA) and by dot blot hybridization. PAV-IL virus and PAV-IL-RNA titers in shoots and roots of tolerant lines were equivalent to or higher than the titers in susceptible oat lines. Thus, there was no inhibition of PAV-IL replication or movement in tolerant lines. Titers of RPV-NY virus and RNA in shoots of tolerant lines also were equivalent to or higher than the titers in shoots of susceptible oat lines. However, titers of RPV-NY virus and RNA in roots of susceptible oat lines were higher than the titer in tolerant oat lines on middle and late sampling dates. There apparently is some restriction on RPV-NY movement to and/or replication within the roots of these tolerant lines.Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-07T12:47:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
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WITHDRAWN: Evaluation of the role of hysterosalpingography in prediction of endometriosis in infertile females
No full textThis article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy
Perineal laceration prophylactic options in second stage of labour
No full textVecmāteVeselības aprūpeMidwiferyHealth CareAnotācija
Nosaukums Starpenes plīsuma profilaktiskās iespējas vecmātes praksē II dzemdību periodā. Ievads un teorētiskais pamatojums Izpratne par starpenes plīsuma pakāpi un incidenci ir rosinājusi veselības aprūpes speciālistus, meklēt dažādas profilaktiskās metodes otrajā dzemdību periodā. Vairāki pētījumi apliecina, ka starpenes plīsuma incidence pieaug katru gadu par 5,9% (Hanafy, et al., 2011). Pētījumu dati liecina ka, starpenes plīsumi tiek klasificēti, kā izplatītāka dzemdību trauma pasaulē līdz pat 85%(PVO 2018, Albers, Garcia, Renfrew, (McCandlish, & Elbourne, 1999; McCandlish et al., 1998; Sleep et al., 1984) Saskaroties ar šo dzemdību traumu smagākā pakāpē, sievietei ir nepieciešama šuvju uzlikšana un ilgstošs atlabšanas periods. Smagāku plīsuma gadījumā III un IV pakāpē komplikācijas biežāk ir saistītas ar palielinātu iegurņa traumu, fekāliju un urīna nesaturēšanas risku, sāpēm, un seksuālu disfunkciju. Simptomi var pastāvēt daudzus gadus pēc tām un ietekmēt nākamās dzemdības un sievietes dzīves kvalitāti, kā arī radīt bailes sievietei dzemdēt atkārtoti , paaugstinot ķeizargrieziena skaita pieaugumu (Hanafy, et al., 2011). Mērķis. Noteikt kāda ir vecmāšu praksē biežāk lietotā starpenes aizsardzības metode II dzemdību periodā. Metodoloģija. Pētījuma ietvaros darba autors veica strukturētu anketēšanu. Tika anketētas vecmātes. Pētījuma dati tika attiecīgi numurēti/kodēti ievadīti programmā Microsoft Excel. Eksportēti un programmu IBM SPSS. Rezultāti un secinājumi Šī aptauja parāda to, ka starp vecmātēm, kas patlaban strādā dzemdību nodaļā, lielākā daļa (68%) dod priekšroku pozu maiņai, (82%) vecmāšu dod priekšroku mātes kontrolētai elpošanai, (48%) vecmāšu dod priekšroku siltai komprešu uzlikšanai uz starpenes, (70%) vecmāšu dod priekšroku starpenes balstam, dzemdībās ar zemu starpenes plīsuma riska attīstību.Abstract
Prophylactic options for perineal tears during second stage of labor Introduction and theoretical background Awareness of the degree and incidence of perineal rupture has prompted healthcare professionals to look for different methods of intervention during the second stage of labor. Several studies show that the incidence of perineal rupture increases by 5.9% each year (Hanafy, et al., 2011). Data from several studies suggest that peritoneal rupture is classified as the most common birth trauma in the world by up to 85% (WHO 2018, Albers, Garcia, Renfrew, (McCandlish, & Elbourne, 1999; McCandlish et al., 1998; Sleep et al., 1984) In the event of a more severe birth trauma, the woman needs sutures and a long recovery period, and in more severe grade III and IV degree of rupture, complications are more commonly associated with an increased risk of pelvic trauma, fecal and urinary incontinence, pain, and sexual dysfunction. to persist for many years after that and to influence the next birth and the quality of life of the woman, as well as to create fear for the woman to give birth again, increasing the number of caesareans (Hanafy, et al., 2011) The aim. Find out what is the most common type of perineal rupture prevention method in midwifery practice during II stage of labor. Methodology. Within the framework of the research, the author of the work conducted a structured questionnaire. Midwives were surveyed. The study data were numbered / coded accordingly in Microsoft Excel. Exported to and from IBM SPSS. Results and Conclusions. This survey crystallized the fact that among midwives currently working in the maternity ward, the majority (68%) prefer to change postures. (82%) midwives prefer maternal controlled breathing. (48%) midwives prefer warm compresses on the perineum. (70%) midwives prefer perineal support in childbirth with a low risk of perineal rupture.Abstract
Prophylactic options for perineal tears during second stage of labor Introduction and theoretical background Awareness of the degree and incidence of perineal rupture has prompted healthcare professionals to look for different methods of intervention during the second stage of labor. Several studies show that the incidence of perineal rupture increases by 5.9% each year (Hanafy, et al., 2011). Data from several studies suggest that peritoneal rupture is classified as the most common birth trauma in the world by up to 85% (WHO 2018, Albers, Garcia, Renfrew, (McCandlish, & Elbourne, 1999; McCandlish et al., 1998; Sleep et al., 1984) In the event of a more severe birth trauma, the woman needs sutures and a long recovery period, and in more severe grade III and IV degree of rupture, complications are more commonly associated with an increased risk of pelvic trauma, fecal and urinary incontinence, pain, and sexual dysfunction. to persist for many years after that and to influence the next birth and the quality of life of the woman, as well as to create fear for the woman to give birth again, increasing the number of caesareans (Hanafy, et al., 2011) The aim. Find out what is the most common type of perineal rupture prevention method in midwifery practice during II stage of labor. Methodology. Within the framework of the research, the author of the work conducted a structured questionnaire. Midwives were surveyed. The study data were numbered / coded accordingly in Microsoft Excel. Exported to and from IBM SPSS. Results and Conclusions. This survey crystallized the fact that among midwives currently working in the maternity ward, the majority (68%) prefer to change postures. (82%) midwives prefer maternal controlled breathing. (48%) midwives prefer warm compresses on the perineum. (70%) midwives prefer perineal support in childbirth with a low risk of perineal rupture
Improving the Environmental and Design Performance of Building Facades using “Artificial Intelligence”
No full textThe construction sector has changed thanks to the use of artificial intelligence in architectural design. To investigate abstract conceptual concepts and produce an infinite number of design ideas based on mathematically determined criteria, AI offers a wide variety of computational methodologies. An exploratory examination of the development of AI in architectural design is presented in this paper. Since its inception as a tool for functional optimization, Artificial Intelligence has evolved into an unmatched source of design inspiration. The mechanism technology is needed to deliver the best lighting possible, depending on the design requirements. The following steps are taken during the design process: design concept, modeling and pattern development, application and implementation of the parameters sun path, solar radiation, bulb temperature, and daylight, evaluation and simulation with the aid of the simulation program grasshopper/ladybug-honeybee, and lastly, conclusion. Finally, it is suggested to engage in digital fabrication and materialization. The suggested design, which was implemented in the Epic complex structure, improved the facade\u27s environmental and design performance by minimizing solar radiation on exposed facades and improving eye comfort by cutting back on glare from sunlight. This was done without altering the building\u27s existing façade design. The author stress the necessity of a well-rounded strategy, nevertheless, to guarantee that AI-generated designs are human-centric, environmentally conscious, and culturally aware. According to the study\u27s findings, AI can enrich and inspire architectural design, but it must be used ethically and responsibly to prevent harming human creativity and design ethics
