14 research outputs found
Wind-tunnel study of block 259 building, Houston
Get PDFCER78-79JEC-JAP-AK18.Prepared for Colaco Engineers, Inc.Includes bibliographical references (pages 32-33).January 1979
The enabling and coercive impact of non-financial performance measures on executive intrinsic motivation and self-determination
Get PDFRecent stakeholder pressure on company directors to balance trade-offs between short-term financial performance and long-term value creation (FCT Global, 2016, p.3) has prompted increased focus on long term non-financial performance measures (NFPMs) as an important component of management control systems (MCS). Of particular interest is the need to think beyond the immediate demands of corporate shareholders to satisfy the requirements of a broader set of stakeholders, including customers, employees and the communities in which organisations operate. Specifically, companies are increasingly required to demonstrate that they serve a “social purpose” (Fink, 2018).
This study expands on the current management accounting literature to explore how the enabling and coercive design characteristics of NFPMs (Adler & Borys, 1996), along with contextual factors, impact the motivation of individual executives to pursue the long-term interests of the organisation. Understanding an executive’s perception of the design features of NFPMs relating to corporate social responsibility (CSR) provides insights into the contexts and conditions under which measures encourage long-term focus on a range of stakeholders rather than short-term financial decision-making. How the personal effects of such management accounting practices translate into organisational outcomes has not been previously tested (Hall, 2016; Wong-On-Wong et al., 2010). In response Hall (2016) suggested that Psychology theories may help to explain how MCS practices (for example, performance measures and incentive schemes) combine with other contextual factors to influence an individual’s psychological processes, including motivation and behaviours.
In their research relating to enabling and coercive bureaucracies, Adler & Borys (1996) claimed that the conventional view of MCS is based on a flawed understanding of motivation as being either intrinsically or extrinsically derived. Responding to their call to understand MCS effectiveness an appreciation of motivation as a spectrum rather than a dichotomy (Ryan and Connell, 1989), this study provides evidence that executives may be intrinsically motivated by extrinsic factors (Deci et al., 1999), given the right context. By understanding how a cross section of executives perceive NFPMs, this study provides insights into specific psychological mechanisms that explain how management accounting practices impact satisfaction of basic psychological needs and motivation
Investigating the relationship between perception of an organisation's ethical culture and worker motivation
No full text<p>The publisher's final version this work can be found at https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-08-2018-1511. Deposited by openaccessbutton.org. We've taken reasonable steps to ensure this content doesn't violate copyright, however, if you think it does you can request a takedown by emailing [email protected].</p>
Ethical culture and worker motivation
No full textThe primary aim of this study was to determine if an individual’s perception of the ethical culture of their organisation could be used to predict their work motivation
A Monte Carlo Simulation Study on Adsorption of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) in zeolites
No full textNitrogen oxides (NOx) are significant sources of air pollution. Nitrogen oxides like Nitric oxide (NO) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are mainly responsible for the acid rain and smog. Nitrous oxide (N2O), also known as the laughing gas, is the major greenhouse gas that is responsible for the ozone layer's damage in the troposphere. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, one pound of N2O is 300 times more potent greenhouse gas than one pound of CO2. The significant emitters of Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are automobiles, agricultural sources, thermal power plants, and chemical processes like Nitric acid production plants, paint manufacturing, etc. This study mainly focuses on the tail gas emitted from the Nitric acid production facility. The tail gas emitted during the HNO3 production consists of almost 2% of O2, 200-400 ppm of NO2, and NO, whereas 800 ppm of N2O. As N2O is the most emitted gas from the Nitric acid production facility, it is followed by NO2 and NO, so it is essential to reduce these pollutants from the tail gas. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is a well-known technique currently involved in reducing NOx via the adsorption process from the Nitric acid production facility. But the costs involved in these methods are quite high. Nanoporous materials like zeolite exhibit uniform pore size and high thermal stability are said to be the promising adsorbents of NOx. The availability of a large number of zeolites makes it impossible to identify the proper zeolite for NOx adsorption experimentally. In such situations, molecular simulations are a powerful tool that can help identify the perfect zeolite. The time and cost involved in the process of molecular simulations are very low. In this work, Monte Carlo simulations involving reaction ensemble are implemented to obtain the equilibrium composition of NOx components at desired operating conditions in the Brick molecular simulation package. This is followed by Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations (GCMC) and Reactive Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations (RXMC-GCMC) for pure and quaternary NOx gas mixture adsorption in five different zeolites (FAU, FER, MOR, MFI, and TON) using simulation package RASPA. The composition results from the reaction ensemble are validated with the composition results obtained using the Gibbs minimization technique in the MATLAB model, and the results are in good agreement. The quaternary gas mixture adsorption results in five different frameworks from RXMC-GCMC simulations are then validated in Ideal adsorbed solution theory in the Python model, and the results are in good agreement at the given operating conditions. </p
Multi-Stage 20-m Shuttle Run Fitness Test, Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Velocity at Maximal Oxygen Uptake.
Get PDFThe multi-stage 20-m shuttle run fitness test (20mMSFT) is a popular field test which is widely used to measure aerobic fitness by predicting maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and performance. However, the velocity at which VO2max occurs (vVO2max) is a better indicator of performance than VO2max, and can be used to explain inter-individual differences in performance that VO2max cannot. It has been reported as a better predictor for running performance and it can be used to monitor athletes' training for predicting optimal training intensity. This study investigated the validity and suitability of predicting VO2max and vVO2max of adult subjects on the basis of the performance of the 20mMST. Forty eight (25 male and 23 female) physical education students performed, in random order, a laboratory based continuous horizontal treadmill test to determine VO2max, vVO2max and a 20mMST, with an interval of 3 days between each test. The results revealed significant correlations between the number of shuttles in the 20mMSFT and directly determined VO2max (r = 0.87, p<0.05) and vVO2max (r = 0.93, p<0.05). The equation for prediction of VO2max was y = 0.0276x + 27.504, whereas for vVO2max it was y = 0.0937x + 6.890. It can be concluded that the 20mMSFT can accurately predict VO2max and vVO2max and this field test can provide useful information regarding aerobic fitness of adults. The predicted vVO2max can be used in monitoring athletes, especially in determining optimal training intensity
Author Correction: Acute and chronic hypoxia differentially predispose lungs for metastases
Get PDFAn amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.</p
Genetic diversity of infertile males in India
No full text\ua9 The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2026. Purpose: To systematically investigate the genetic architecture of severe male infertility in Indian men, with a specific focus on chromosomal abnormalities and the contribution of de novo variants. Method: We recruited 247 infertile males between 2021 and 2024 presenting with severe quantitative and qualitative sperm defects. All patients underwent karyotyping and Y chromosome microdeletion STS-PCR. A single molecule molecular inversion probe-based targeted sequencing assay covering 39 male infertility genes was performed in 120 patients, while whole exome sequencing (WES) was conducted in 48 patients using a duo/trio-based approach to enable segregation and de novo variant detection. Result: Gonosomal aneuploidies were observed in 3/247 patients (1.2%, 95% CI 0.3–3.5%) and causal AZF microdeletions in 8/247 (3.2%, 95% CI 1.4–6.3%). Targeted sequencing identified pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in 4/120 patients (3.3%, 95% CI 0.9–8.3%), with additional CFTR variants in 3 patients where parental DNA was unavailable for phasing. WES yielded P/LP variants in 4/48 patients (8.3%, 95% CI 2.3–19.9%) affecting PMFBP1, DNAH1, and AR genes, confirmed via segregation analysis. No de novo or copy number variants were confirmed as causative, though several candidate genes were prioritised. Sequencing-based approaches provided an additional ~ 6–8% diagnostic yield, with the overall diagnostic rate reaching 7.7% (19/247; 95% CI 4.7–11.8%). Conclusion: Sequencing-based strategies, particularly family-based trio WES, significantly enhance diagnostic yield beyond current guideline-recommended tests, with data supporting their adoption as first-tier investigations for severe male infertility. This represents India’s largest cohort-based genomic study on male infertility to date. Larger family-based cohorts will be essential to delineate the contribution of de novo variants to male infertility genetics
Animal colour vision - behavioural tests and physiological concepts
Get PDFOver a century ago workers such as J. Lubbock and K. von Frisch developed behavioural criteria for establishing that non-human animals see colour. Many animals in most phyla have since then been shown to have colour vision. Colour is used for specific behaviours, such as phototaxis and object recognition, while other behaviours such as motion detection are colour blind. Having established the existence of colour vision, research focussed on the question of how many spectral types of photoreceptors are involved. Recently, data on photoreceptor spectral sensitivities have been combined with behavioural experiments and physiological models to study systematically the next logical question: what neural interactions underlie colour vision? This review gives an overview of the methods used to study animal colour vision, and discusses how quantitative modelling can suggest how photoreceptor signals are combined and compared to allow for the discrimination of biologically relevant stimuli
Economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by deep-sea sponges
No full textABSTRACT
This report was commissioned under the SponGES project as a pivotal information it em (Deliverable 8.1) with a direct impact on resource management and conservation of deep-sea sponges in the North Atlantic. It is based on information available in the scientific literature at the time of writing, but also indicates the research areas where discoveries and research advances are shortly expected. The report is aimed at a generic public with no specialized knowledge on sponges or on economic valuation. It is outlined in a way to provide essential background information but makes reference to a comprehensive list of scientific publications for further insights.
The initial part provides basic information on the definition of ecosystem services, on an ecosystem service classification framework, and on common approaches undertaken for ecosystem service valuation. In this introductory overview, the economic valuation of deep-sea sponges is placed in the wider context of ecosystem services provided by the deep sea. Common challenges encountered in the economic valuation of deep-sea sponges as well as deep-sea ecosystems are discussed, and a summary is provided of approaches found in the literature for the economic valuation of deep-sea ecosystem services.
The ecosystem services provided by sponges were categorized under The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity ecosystem service classification. This classification distinguishes four main categories of ecosystem services: provisioning services; regulating services; habitat services; and cultural services. Four ecosystem services associated to deep-sea sponges, one for each category, were selected and used to exemplify the level of information needed for an economic valuation as well as common challenges and data gaps encountered.
In particular, deep-sea sponges were analysed as a potential source for pharmaceuticals and biotechnology applications (provisioning services), as natural filtering systems of the deep sea (regulating services), as habitat for commercial fish species (habitat services), and as promising candidates for scientific research and education (cultural services). The overall description of baseline ecological and economic data required for a monetary valuation of these four ecosystem services was further complemented by detailed examples on how economic valuation approaches could be applied to existing baseline data. These examples, described in stand-alone text boxes, show the complexity of the economic valuation of deep-sea sponges. At the same time, they also provide some insight on what the economic relevance of deep-sea sponge ecosystem services could be in future, when, with advances in scientific research, the full ecological and consequently economic importance of deep-sea sponges will become more evident.
The final part of the report outlines the way forward, pointing out the research priorities for making advances in the economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by sponges. It presents an overview of current drivers on research on deep-sea sponges, existing and required investments, and challenges posed to policymakers in considering present and future trade-offs in the management of the deep sea. It wraps up by summarizing the economic benefits, ecological reasons and cultural value of sponges as a possible UNESCO site of outstanding universal value, recommending the precautionary principle in the conservation and management of deep-sea sponge grounds.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author is indebted to the whole SponGES project consortium for sharing their unfolding understanding of deep-sea sponges during the SponGES project's life. Since deep-sea sponges are relatively recently discovered organisms, very little knowledge was available in the literature and all ideas and methodological approaches proposed for this economic valuation matured from close interaction and brainstorming with the SponGES project participants.
Gratitude goes particularly to the SponGES project coordinators: Joana Xavier, Ellen Kenchington, Shirley Pomponi and Hans Tore Rapp who have all enthusiastically supported the development of this study under the strong belief that an economic valuation was an essential tool for highlighting the importance of deep-sea sponge conservation.
Sincere gratitude goes to the leaders of SponGES' work packages for providing scientific advice on specific chapters of this report. In particular, Shirley Pomponi for reading through chapter 3, Manuel Maldonado chapter 4, Ellen Kenchington chapter 5, and Joana Xavier chapters 6 and 7.
Among the SponGES Consortium gratitude goes to Christopher Pham and Lindsay Beazley for working together on data analysis as well as to Anna de Kluijver, Ana Colaco, Ana Riesgo, Carolina Doya, Detmer Sipkema, Erik Wurz, Jasper de Goeij, Javier Cristobo, Malcom Clark, Martina Milanese, Ronald Osinga and Teresa Morganti for the fruitful discussions.
Within FAO, the author wishes to thank Merete Tandstad in the role of supervisor, Claus Hagebro for encouraging the production of a policy brief from this study, Yaw Ansah for providing technical advices on economic valuation, Julian Plummer for the language editing and Edoardo Mostarda, for closely following and overseeing the unfolding of this 3-year research, through all its ups and downs, till the final publication of this document
