DIstributed VIRtual System (DIVIRS) Project

The development of Prospero moved from the University of Washington to ISI and several new versions of the software were released from ISI during the contract period. Changes in the first release from ISI included bug fixes and extensions to support the needs of specific users. Among these changes was a new option to directory queries that allows attributes to be returned for all files in a directory together with the directory listing. This change greatly improves the performance of their server and reduces the number of packets sent across their trans-pacific connection to the rest of the internet. Several new access method were added to the Prospero file method. The Prospero Data Access Protocol was designed, to support secure retrieval of data from systems running Prospero

International Risk Analysis Based on The Portfolio Diversification: The Case of Prague Stock Exchange

Stock exchanges are constantly prone to instability caused by asset bubbles. Risk level within the stock exchanges stands as the main concern for the financial in-vestors. Stock prices are influenced by the choices completed on the domestic and international environment. The study intends to measure the risk level of the Pra-gue Stock Exchange (PSE) from the internal risk perspectives. Portfolio diversi-fication formula has been implemented to obtain the risk level of the PSE from 2000 till 2017. Stock prices and the trade volume of the listed companies in the PSE were collected from the Thomson Reuters Eikon database. PSE has been considered as a portfolio based on the number of listed companies on the respec-tive years. The results confirm that financial investors in the PSE would be com-pensated for the risk exposure. Diversification risk and weighted average returns from 2000 till 2017 were almost moving identically. The results indicate that PSE was influenced from the last financial crises of 2008, confirmed from a decline in the weighted average returns and an increase in the diversification risk. The re-sults of the study stand in line with the theoretical paradigms that increase in the number of stocks that reduces the `diversification

Air Force Institute of Technology Research Report 1997

This report summarizes the research activities of the Air Force Institute of Technology\u27s Graduate School of Engineering and the Graduate School of Logistics and Acquisition Management. It describes research interests and faculty expertise; list student theses/dissertations; identifies research sponsors and contributions; and outlines the procedure for contacting either school

General fuzzy min-max neural network for clustering and classification

This paper describes a general fuzzy min-max (GFMM) neural network which is a generalization and extension of the fuzzy min-max clustering and classification algorithms of Simpson (1992, 1993). The GFMM method combines supervised and unsupervised learning in a single training algorithm. The fusion of clustering and classification resulted in an algorithm that can be used as pure clustering, pure classification, or hybrid clustering classification. It exhibits a property of finding decision boundaries between classes while clustering patterns that cannot be said to belong to any of existing classes. Similarly to the original algorithms, the hyperbox fuzzy sets are used as a representation of clusters and classes. Learning is usually completed in a few passes and consists of placing and adjusting the hyperboxes in the pattern space; this is an expansion-contraction process. The classification results can be crisp or fuzzy. New data can be included without the need for retraining. While retaining all the interesting features of the original algorithms, a number of modifications to their definition have been made in order to accommodate fuzzy input patterns in the form of lower and upper bounds, combine the supervised and unsupervised learning, and improve the effectiveness of operations. A detailed account of the GFMM neural network, its comparison with the Simpson's fuzzy min-max neural networks, a set of examples, and an application to the leakage detection and identification in water distribution systems are given

The political economy of convergence: The case of IFRS for SMEs.

This paper examines the processes used by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), in achieving widespread convergence to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by developing economies. Global convergence of financial reporting standards is a politically motivated agenda. The movement towards standardisation of financial reporting has been described in various ways including, adoption, application, transitioning, implementation (Brown and Tarca 2012), harmonization (Strouhal 2012) and convergence (Stevenson 2012; Street 2012; Pawsey, Brown and Chatterjee 2013). In this paper the term convergence encapsulates the efforts by developing countries to revise their national standards to be the same as IFRSs. The IFRS for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (IFRS for SMEs) was partly to facilitate developing economies’ commitment to convergence (UNCTAD 2009). Introducing a two-tier system implied by a special IFRS for SMEs is the first synthesis of the international convergence process (Rodrigues and Craig 2007). Given that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly important in the global economy, it is equally important that there is a clear set of principles underpinning financial reporting for these entities. However, there is limited discussion on the development of the IFRS for SMEs in the academic literature. Only very recently have academics from developing countries engaged in discussions on IFRS for SME adoption (Phang and Mahzan 2013). Therefore, this paper provides an understanding of the activities that led to the promulgation of the standard and the efforts of the World Bank, the United Nations and other international organisations to bring this issue onto IASB’s agenda since early 2000. This paper is timely as the IASB has commenced its comprehensive review of the IFRS for SMEs (IASB 2012)

Effect of the dried limes (Citrus aurantifolia) on the caffeine kinetic extraction in black tea leaves (kinetic and thermodynamic study)

ABSTRACT. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were studied for the extraction of caffeine in black tea leaves and tea leaves containing antioxidant dried limes (Citrus aurantifolia). Caffeine is widely used in human consumption and is present in any liquid suitable for drinking except water. However, the health and environmental demerits make it significant to reduce caffeine to much less concentration or decaffeination. Therefore, the effect of the dried antioxidant Citrus aurantifolia on caffeine concentration followed by pseudo-first-order reaction, kinetic parameters (pseudo-first-order rate constant (k), equilibrium absorbance (A∞)), and thermodynamic activation parameters, the activation energy (Ea), change in enthalpy of activation (ΔH#), the change in entropy of activation (ΔS#) and change in activation Gibbs free energy (ΔG#) was calculated at four different temperatures 30, 60, 80, and 100 °C. Using the spectroscopic method the activation energy of the caffeine concentration in free black tea leaves solution (Ea = 13.32 kJmol-1) was higher than the black tea leaves mixed with lime solution (Ea = 9.89 kJmol-1), the higher collision of molecules A-factor (1.96 min-1), and large correlation factor (R2 = 0.95). The thermodynamic activation parameters ΔH#, ΔS#, and ΔG# demonstrate less heat absorption, irreversible, and more spontaneous interaction of lime with caffeine.   KEY WORDS: Caffeine, Tea leaves, Citrus aurantifolia, Thermodynamic parameters,  Kinetic Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(3), 697-705.                                                                DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i3.18                                                     &nbsp

Use of the Natural Circulation Flow Map for Natural Circulation Systems Evaluation

The aim of this paper is to collect and resume the work done to build and develop, at the University of Pisa, an engineering tool related to the natural circulation. After a brief description of the different loop flow regimes in single phase and two phase, the derivation of a suitable tool to judge the NC performance in a generic system is presented. Finally, an extensive comparison among the NC performance of various nuclear power plants having different design is done to show a practical application of the NC flow map