ARE BEHAVIORAL BIASES INFLUENCED BY DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS & PERSONALITY TRAITS? EVIDENCE FROM PAKISTAN

The study investigates the influence of demographics (residential area, age, gender, marital status, education background) and personality traits (extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness) on the financial behavioral biases (overconfidence, herding/mass behavior and disposition effect) and risk taking behavior in Pakistan. The study will be beneficial for the financial advisors and individual investors. As it will help financial advisor to know potential behavioral biases in each type of investors while making investment decision and therefore they can advise investors properly to mitigate such biases. Personality dimensions are categorized under Big Five Personality model. Questionnaire survey method is used to collect the data from a Sample size of 225 respondents that includes bankers, finance students as well as investors. Structure equation modeling (SEM) analysis is used to analyze the impact of personality traits and demographics on the investment biases through Amos 20. The results show that big five personality traits have a significant relationship with overconfidence, herding/mass behavior and risk taking except disposition effect

Periodontal Treatment Needs of Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment in Comparison To Non-Orthodontic Treatment Patients: A Comparative Study

OBJECTIVES To determine the periodontal treatment needs of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment compared to those not undergoing the treatment.   METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on 100 patients visiting the Dental OPD of Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore, from June 2019 to July 2020. Clinical examination was done using the Community Periodontal index for treatment needs (CPITN) to assess the participants' periodontal health and treatment needs. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference in the scores of CPITN across the treatment and control groups (≤0.001). The patients requiring scaling and prophylaxis and Oral hygiene instructions (TN 2) were more (94%) in the orthodontic treatment group in comparison to the non-orthodontic treatment group (62%). A higher percentage of patients (6%) requiring complex treatment (deep scaling, root planning and complex surgical procedures), scaling and prophylaxis and Oral hygiene instructions (TN3) belonged to the non-orthodontic treatment group, while only 4% required it from the orthodontic treatment group. CONCLUSION All orthodontic and non-orthodontic treatment group participants required oral hygiene instructions and had periodontal treatment needs (TN1). The patients requiring scaling and prophylaxis and Oral hygiene instructions (TN 2) were more in the orthodontic treatment group than the non-orthodontic treatment group. A higher percentage of patients requiring complex treatment (deep scaling, root planning and complex surgical procedures), scaling and prophylaxis and Oral hygiene instructions (TN3) belonged to the non-orthodontic treatment group

International projects and political risk management by multinational enterprises:insights from multiple emerging markets

Purpose: This study investigates an under-researched yet fundamental question of how a developed country multinational enterprises (DMNE) perceives and manages political risks when undertaking infrastructure projects in the emerging markets (EMs). Design/methodology/approach: The authors use an abduction-based qualitative research approach to analyze six international project operations of a multinational enterprise originating from Finland in five EMs. Findings: The findings suggest that the overall nature of political risks in EMs is not the same, except few political risk factors that are visible in most EMs. Consequently, the applied risk management mechanisms vary between EMs, except with few common mechanisms. The authors develop an integrative analytical framework of political risk management based on the findings. Originality/value: This paper is one of the first studies to identify political risk factors for western MNEs while undertaking international project operations and link them to reduction mechanisms used by them. The authors go beyond the notion of risk being conceptualized at a general level and evaluate 20 specific political risk factors referred to in extant literature. The authors further link these political risk factors with both social exchange and transaction cost theories conceptually as well as empirically. Finally, the authors develop a relatively comprehensive analytical framework of political risk management based on the case projects' findings that combine several strands of literature, including the social exchange theory, transaction cost theory, international market entry, project management and finance literature streams.</p

Genetic Algorithm & Fuzzy Logic Based PEM Fuel Cells Power Conversion System for AC Integration

In the scientific environment, the leading variables such as voltage, current, power, heat from cooling system, membrane temperature and hydrogen pressure are uses as steady state and transient behaviors of Fuel Cells (FC). In the reproducing process of Fuel Cells (FC) variations, DC-DC converters are connected transversely its terminals, the efficiency, stability and durability are considered as operational problems for steady state. Since the Proton Exchange Fuel Cell is a non-linear process and its parameters change when it is delivering energy to the grid. The conventional controllers can’t content the control objectives. In this paper, an intelligent DC-AC power optimization is proposed for Fuel Cell (FC) control system to produce energy in the grid stations and to improve the power quality when FC is supplying load to grid. Furthermore, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) based reactive power optimization for voltage profile improvement and real power minimization in DC-AC system. A fuzzy logic controller is also used to control active power of PEM fuel cell system. Fuzzy logic controller will modify the hydrogen flow feedback from the terminal load. At the end, we will simulate DC-AC converter for checking its efficiency, stability and durability on the basis of the genetic algorithm and fuzzy logic controller to control power generation

Impact of Personality Trait of Agreeableness on Oral Parafunctional Habits

OBJECTIVES To find the impact of agreeable personality trait on oral parafunctional habits.METHODOLOGY A Cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the College of Dentistry, Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore, over 5 months, from July to November 2021. Data was collected using medical questionnaire and ten item personality inventory scale (TIPI). Kruskal Wallis test was to find the difference in the scores of agreeable personality trait across groups of oral parafunctional habits.RESULTSThere was a statistically significant difference in the agreeable personality trait across the parafunctional habits of tooth grinding (p=0.023) and biting on hard objects (p=0.013). A non-significant difference was seen in the personality trait across the habits of nail biting (p=0.495), tooth clenching (p=0.097) and habit of chewing gum (p=0.371). CONCLUSION The individuals who disagreed to having the habit of tooth grinding had the highest score for agreeableness and the least was seen in those who neither agreed nor disagreed to having the habit. The personality trait was the most prevalent in individuals who strongly agreed to having the habit of biting on hard objects and the least in those who agreed to having the habit

Pro-Environmental Behaviors and Ecological Responsibilities: An Evaluation of Pakistani University Students’ Behavioral Intentions Towards Climate Change

Rapid and devastating changes in climate and environment have affected individuals from all around the globe to indulge in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The aim of this research is to evaluate the role of students in climate change mitigation and adaptation by analyzing their behavioral intentions. We incorporated the theory of planned behavior in evaluating the environmental knowledge among university students in Pakistan. The results implicated that the attitudes, societal norms and perceived behavioral control contributes significantly in an individual’s pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Additionally, education was found to be contributing merely in building attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviors. However the societal norms and individual’s perceived behavioral control were found to be less influenced by the educational background of individuals.This research provides strategic policy suggestions in face of formulating encouraging engagement in deliberative discussions, interaction with scientists, and formulation of community projects to induce education, resources and opportunities which can be beneficial in changing behaviors of individuals on a larger scale in society

A metasurface-based single-layered compact AMC-backed dual-band antenna for off-body IoT devices

In this article, a compact printed monopole dual-band antenna using artificial magnetic conductor (AMC)-plane with improved gain and broader bandwidth, applicable for off-body internet of things (IoT) devices is presented. The monopole antenna consists of two C-shaped resonators connected through a U-shaped monopole, parasitic elements, discrete ground circular rings and a co-planar waveguide (CPW) feedline. Each artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) unit cell consists of a slotted circular and a square stubs, designed with two zero-crossing phases for improving the radiation characteristics and to achieve the high gain. The overall size of the proposed AMC-backed antenna is 44.4 mm ×44.4 mm ×1.6 mm with electrical dimensions of 0.75λ g × 0.75λ g× 0.027λ g. This AMC-backed antenna featured measured bandwidths of 9.6% and 12.4% with improved measured gain values of 4.88 dB and 4.73 dB at 2.45 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively. The specific absorption rate (SAR) values are analysed and found to be 1.58 W/kg at 2.45 GHz and 0.9 W/kg at 5.8 GHz. Therefore, the proposed AMC-backed antenna is useful for off-body IoT devices operating at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band applications.This work was supported in part by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid; in part by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant 801538; in part by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Gobierno de España (MCIU/AEI/FEDER and UE) under Grant RTI2018-095499-B-C31; and in part by the Researchers Supporting Project, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under Project number RSP-2021/58

Genetic Algorithm & Fuzzy Logic Based PEM Fuel Cells Power Conversion System for AC Integration

In the scientific environment, the leading variables such as voltage, current, power, heat from cooling system, membrane temperature and hydrogen pressure are uses as steady state and transient behaviors of Fuel Cells (FC). In the reproducing process of Fuel Cells (FC) variations, DC-DC converters are connected transversely its terminals, the efficiency, stability and durability are considered as operational problems for steady state. Since the Proton Exchange Fuel Cell is a non-linear process and its parameters change when it is delivering energy to the grid. The conventional controllers can’t content the control objectives. In this paper, an intelligent DC-AC power optimization is proposed for Fuel Cell (FC) control system to produce energy in the grid stations and to improve the power quality when FC is supplying load to grid. Furthermore, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) based reactive power optimization for voltage profile improvement and real power minimization in DC-AC system. A fuzzy logic controller is also used to control active power of PEM fuel cell system. Fuzzy logic controller will modify the hydrogen flow feedback from the terminal load. At the end, we will simulate DC-AC converter for checking its efficiency, stability and durability on the basis of the genetic algorithm and fuzzy logic controller to control power generation

Physiological function and catalytic versatility of bacterial multihaem cytochromescinvolved in nitrogen and sulfur cycling

Bacterial MCCs (multihaem cytochromes c) represent widespread respiratory electron-transfer proteins. In addition, some of them convert substrates such as nitrite, hydroxylamine, nitric oxide, hydrazine, sulfite, thiosulfate or hydrogen peroxide. In many cases, only a single function is assigned to a specific MCC in database entries despite the fact that an MCC may accept various substrates, thus making it a multifunctional catalyst that can play diverse physiological roles in bacterial respiration, detoxification and stress defence mechanisms. The present article briefly reviews the structure, function and biogenesis of selected MCCs that catalyse key reactions in the biogeochemical nitrogen and sulfur cycles