Supporting Energy Transition in the Urban Environment

In this research, a technology-oriented approach is adopted to investigate the urban energy transition. This analysis focuses on envisioning possible energy scenarios and the associated technology portfolio. In order to actually deploy such technologies, social, economic and politic factors are considered without forgetting the active role of final users. The methodology presented to develop scenarios and investigate the urban energy system transition have a strong potential to inform and transform energy strategy development. The attention is paid to the representation of energy and related resource systems to support policy, investment, environmental or development analytics, and preferably aspects of their interaction

Poverty From an Islamic Economics Perspective: Concept, Measurement, and Treatment

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Mineralogical and Geochemical Studies of Tills in South-Western Scotland

Till deposits of the NW Glasgow area and Northern Ayrshire were studied. In Part I, previous research into Quaternary problems in these areas and the nature, origin and classification of till deposits are outlined, followed by a statement of the aims of the project and the techniques used. Part II contains detailed data obtained from grain-size, clay mineralogical and major and trace element analyses of the matrices of three categories of NW Glasgow tills - Red, Weathered Grey and Grey. The Red and Weathered Grey tills have coarser-grained compositions than the Grey till. Mean size and skewness are the most diagnostic grain-size parameters for distinguishing between Red and Weathered Grey till on the one hand and Grey till on the other. All three categories contain kaolinite, illite and vermiculite. Chlorite is present only in the Grey till. The percentage of kaolinite is much lower and the percentage of vermiculite is higher in the Red till than in the Weathered Grey till. Three probable modes of origin of the clay minerals in the tills are proposed: direct inheritance, pre-glacial weathering and pedogenesis since till deposition. All three categories of till have a high SiO2 content, which is consistent with the tills having sources in the local sandstone bedrocks. With the exception of Zr, all the trace elements are preferentially concentrated in the silt and clay fractions. Zr appears to occur both in clay minerals and in the sand fraction as detrital zircon. Sr is concentrated in the calcium minerals and Ba in the K-feldspars. Study of vertical profiles shows that leaching of fine-grained material and weathering of clay minerals are common. Weathering in the Red till is difficult to detect. However, the amount of vermiculite increases upwards in the profile at the expense of illite. In the case of profiles through both Grey, and Weathered Grey till, chlorite disappears, and the amount of vermiculite increases up the profile at the expense of both illite and chlorite. The ratios Ga:Al2O3, MgO:Ni, FeO:Co and Ni:Co can be used to detect weathering trends in both Grey and Red till profiles. Mineralogical and geochemical studies of bedrock in the NW Glasgow area, showing the presence of chlorite in Carboniferous shales and sandstones and its absence in Devonian (O.R.S.) sandstones, indicate that the Grey till was derived largely from Carboniferous shales and sandstones, and the Red till largely from Devonian sandstones. Part III contains detailed data obtained by similar methods applied to the matrices of tills and associated Quaternary deposits in Northern Ayrshire. Marked similarities in the properties of samples of shelly till from five locations suggest similar sources for the shelly till at these locations. The shelly till has a high SiO2 and a low clay content, suggesting that the proportion of shell-bearing marine clay in the shelly till is not nearly as great as previously thought. The high SiO2 content in both the shelly and non-shelly tills of Northern Ayrshire reflects quartz-rich source rocks for these tills. The matrices of the non-shelly tills have higher CaO and CO2 contents than the matrix of the shelly till. This may be due to the presence of finely ground limestone in the non-shelly till matrices. Comparison of the properties of shell-bearing marine clays at Afton Lodge with those of the shelly till of N Ayrshire as a whole and with a shell-bearing deposit at Greenock Mains shows clearly that the last-mentioned is not a shelly till as formerly thought but is a marine sediment similar in composition to the deposit at Afton Lodge. The matrices of Upper and Lower grey tills at Sourlie are similar in composition, indicating similar sources, probably mainly local Carboniferous shales and sandstones. Finally, the thesis applies the results obtained to Quaternary stratigraphy. The properties of the matrices of red and grey facies of the proposed 'Wilderness Till' Formation of the Glasgow area can now be defined. The presence of Weathered Grey till overlain by Red till in the NW Glasgow area suggests at least a short period of exposure of Grey till before deposition of Red till on top of it. In Ayrshire, the discovery of shell-bearing marine deposits (at Greenock Mains) at c. 180m above present sea level and c. 30km inland from the present coast means that recent views regarding the maximum elevation and extent of Quaternary marine incursion in Ayrshire may have to be modified. The presence of these sediments also implies that the shelly till may have been derived from pockets of shell-bearing deposits picked up locally within inland Ayrshire rather than from the Firth, of Clyde. The presence of shelly till at any given location, therefore, may not be indicative of any particular direction of ice movement, as formerly thought

Survival of Microorganisms on Hospital Fabrics and Methods of Treatments (Review)

 Medical fabrics have been used widely in heath care units as well as in other sectors such as hotels restaurants and food industries. The hospital fabrics are considered as the host for bacteria and fungi, which they remain surviving on surface of fabrics for several weeks. This paper cites a review of the literature published on survival of microorganisms on hospital fabrics and methods of treatments applied to inhibit the reproduction of the microorganisms. The review shows that the times of persistence of microorganisms on fabrics were depending on type of microorganism, fabric and method of treatment

The adoption of global leadership competences and Total Quality Management by the staff of Egyptian and Jordanian exporting companies: case studies

Error a la paginació, passa de la pàgina 7 a la 11.The main purpose of this research is to conduct exploratory qualitative research to analyze the level of global leadership competencies and Total Quality Management (TQM) in Egyptian and Jordanian exporting companies and compare it with literature and with what successful Western companies do. The main research question refers to the similarities and differences between Egyptian and Jordanian companies and Western companies regarding the adoption of global leadership competences and Total Quality Management (TQM). In addition, four secondary questions are formulated. These secondary questions: a) Are these companies developing training activities? b) To what degree is the cross-cultural leadership approach taken into account among the companies under study? c) To what degree are global organizational vision and global leadership vision taken into account among the companies under study? and d) To what degree is the TQM taken into account among the companies under study? Data collection consisted of baseline surveys with 53 middle and top level managers of the analyzed companies. It includes answering to questionnaires and individual interviews. In-deep interviews with senior managers have also been performed. Finally, documental information has been analyzed. The analyzed companies are Al Ezz Group (Dekheila Steel), EEMCO Electronics Ltd, Reem Electronics Manufacture, El Mohandes Electric Companies (cables manufacturing) from Egypt and Yossaf Rock Wool Co and Al Shaheen Marble and Granite from Jordan, all private owned companies. The literature review encompasses the literature on globalization and its impact on corporations, the competence movement, Global Leadership, Leadership Skills, Global Leadership Competencies, Cross- Cultural Leadership, Global Vision and Total Quality Management. In addition, previous study analysis of global leadership competencies in several countries: Brazil, India, Nigeria, Belgium, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Mexico. It also discusses six case studies on global leadership competencies of Western companies: 3M, Xerox, IKEA, Lease Corporation Ltd and the Body Shop International Plc. The result from this study shows that there is a high level of consensus from the respondents from the six Arab companies analyzed in that the global leadership competencies, cross-cultural competencies, global vision competencies and philosophy of TQM are important for a company to compete in the global market successfully and enhancing its global market share. The respondents accepted as own the group of competences that are presented to them, even though these competences are described related to the Western literature, that reflects Western points of view and practices. This confirms the slight differences found in preceding analysis referred to other countries. It has been concluded that all the studied companies develop training activities, have managers that considers having a high level in global leadership and cross-culture competences and applies, more or less intensely, TQM philosophy. We deduce thus that these companies agree with the principles stated by the literature.(Esp) El objetivo principal de este trabajo es desarrollar una investigación exploratoria y cualitativa para analizar el nivel de competencias de liderazgo global y de gestión de la calidad Total (TQM) en empresas exportadores de Egipto y Jordania, y compararlo con la literatura y con las empresas occidentales de éxito La pregunta de investigación principal se refiere a las similitudes y diferencias entre las empresas egipcias y jordanas y las empresas occidentales con respecto a la adopción de las competencias de liderazgo global y la gestión de calidad total (TQM). Además, se plantean cuatro cuestiones secundarias. Estas preguntas secundarias son: a) ¿Desarrollan estas empresas actividades de formación b) ¿En qué medida se tiene en cuenta el enfoque del liderazgo intercultural cuenta en las empresas objeto de estudio? c) ¿En qué grado se consideran en estas empresas la visión global de la organización y la visión de liderazgo global individual? y d) ¿En que medida se tiene en cuenta el TQM? La recolección de datos se ha desarrollado con 53 directivos de nivel medio y superior de las empresas analizadas. Se incluye la respuesta a cuestionarios y entrevistas individuales. También se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad con altos directivos de las compañías. Finalmente, se ha analizado información documental. Las empresas analizadas son Al Ezz Group (Dekheila Steel), EEMCO Electronics Ltd, Reem Electronics Manufacture, El Mohandes compañías eléctricas (cables de fabricación) de Egipto y Yossaf Lana de roca Co y Al Shaheen Mármol y Granito de Jordania, todas empresas de propiedad privada. La revisión de la literatura abarca la literatura sobre la globalización y su impacto en las empresas, las habilidades de liderazgo, las competencias de liderazgo global, el liderazgo intercultural, la visión global y la gestión de calidad total. Además, se analizan estudios anteriores sobre las competencias de liderazgo global en varios países: Brasil, India, Nigeria, Bélgica, Países Bajos, Reino Unido y México. También se analizan seis estudios de casos sobre las competencias de liderazgo global en empresas occidentales: 3M, Xerox, IKEA, Lease Corporation Ltd y The Body Shop Internacional Plc. El resultado de este estudio muestra que existe un alto nivel de consenso entre los encuestados de las seis empresas árabes analizados en que las competencias de liderazgo global, las competencias interculturales, las competencias sobre la visión global y la filosofía de la GCT son importantes para que una empresa compita en el mercado global con éxito y mejore su participación en el mercado global. Los encuestados acepta como propio el conjunto de competencias que se les presentan, a pesar de que estas competencias se describen en relación con la literatura occidental, que refleja los puntos de vista y las prácticas occidentales. Esto confirma las pequeñas diferencias encontradas en los análisis anteriores presentados por la literatura. Se ha concluido que todas las empresas estudiadas desarrollar actividades de formación, tienen directivos que consideran que ellos mismos tienen un nivel alto en liderazgo global y aplican, con mayor o menor intensidad, la filosofía del TQM. Se deduce, por tanto, que estas empresas están de acuerdo con los principios establecidos por la literatura. Por otra parte, sólo una de las empresas de la compañía, Al Ezz Steel, tiene una actividad sistemática para mejorar las competencias de liderazgo global, que incluyen el sistema de reclutamiento, la evaluación del desempeño, la rotación, los programas de acogida y la formación. Por otra parte, ninguna de las empresas tiene todavía una estrategia completa para convertirse en un actor global de éxito como los que desarrollan las principales compañías occidentales.PROGRAMA DE DOCTORAT EN ADMINISTRACIÓ I DIRECCIÓ D'EMPRESES (Pla 2012

Application of Sobolev inequalities for higher order fractional derivatives

in this paper we study the general uncertainty principal , we obtain the best constant as application of Sobolev inequalities for higher order fractional derivatives

Antibiotic resistance and ndvB gene expression among biofilm producing Pseudomonas aeruoginosa isolates

A novel antibiotic resistant mechanism among biofilms is glucan-mediated sequestration in which ndvB gene encodes a glucosyltransferase involved in the formation of this glucans. We studied the biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of P. aeruginosa isolated from clinical samples, and measured the expression of ndvB gene among biofilm forming isolates and their planktonic counterparts. The study was conducted on 92 P. aeruginosa isolates. Biofilm was measured using tissue culture plate method. Antibiotic susceptibility of biofilm positive isolates and planktonic counterparts for ciprofloxacin, tobramycin and gentamycin was tested using tube microdilution method. Expression of ndvB gene was measured using Syper green real time PCR. We found that 44 isolates (47.8%) of P. aeruginosa were biofilm positive. The biofilm formation was high among urine, endotracheal tube aspirate and burn isolates compared to isolates of wound specimens, with statistically nonsignificant differences. None of biofilm forming isolates was susceptible to the 3 antibiotics compared to the presence of susceptible isolates among the planktonic counterpart (18/40.9% for ciprofloxacin, 12/27.3% for tobramycin and 13/29.5% for gentamycin). Expression of ndvB gene was significantly high in biofilm isolates than their corresponding counterpart, with significant correlations with minimal biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) values of cibrofloxacin (r=+ 0.65, p< 0.05 ), tobramycin (r= + 0.54 p< 0.05 ) and gentamycin (r=+ 0.77, p< 0.001 ).From this study we concluded that biofilm formation is an important character of P. aeruginosa that is a main cause of antibiotic resistance especially in isolates from catheterized urine , wound and endotracheal tube aspirate. NdvB gene expression is a mechanism of resistance to antibiotics in P. aeruginosa biofilms.Keywords: P. aeruginosa, biofilm, antibiotic resistance and ndvB gen

The Impact of Herding on the Expected Return in the Egyptian Stock Exchange

This paper examines the impact of herding behaviour on the expected return in the Egyptian Stock Exchange by adding an additional risk factor reflecting herding behaviour to the capital asset pricing model. The study used monthly excess stock returns of 50 stocks listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange from January 2014 to December 2018. The results do not support the capital asset pricing model before and after adding the herding behaviour factor, therefore there is no effect of herding behaviour on the expected return

The Impact of Herding on the Risk Pricing in the Egyptian Stock Exchange

We test the impact of herding behaviour on the risk pricing in the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) by adding an additional risk factor reflecting herding behaviour to the Fama and French three-factor model. We construct a portfolio to mimic an additional risk factor related to herding behaviour, in addition to the original risk factors in the Fama and French three-factor model. The three-factor model will be tested in its original form and re-tested after adding the herding behaviour factor. The study is based on Hwang and Salmon methodology, in which the state space approach based on Kaman’s filter was used to measure herding behaviour. We used monthly excess stock returns of 50 stocks listed on the EGX from January 2014 to December 2018. The results do not support Fama and French model before and after adding the herding behaviour factor, therefore, there is no effect of herding behaviour on the risk pricing in the Egyptian Stock Exchange

Empirical Test of Fama and French Three-Factor Model in the Egyptian Stock Exchange

We test the empirical validity of the three-factor model of Fama and French in the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) using monthly excess stock returns of 50 stocks listed on the EGX from January 2014 to December 2018. Our findings do not support Fama and French three-factor model, where the coefficient of the beta was insignificant. The “SBM” coefficient and the “HML” coefficient were equal to zero and insignificant, which confirms the absence of the small firm effect and book-to-market ratio effect in the market. We conclude that there is no relation between expected return and Fama-French risk factors