Application of Bayesian networks in analysing tanker shipping bankruptcy risks

Purpose: This study aims to develop an assessment methodology using a Bayesian network (BN) to predict the failure probability of oil tanker shipping firms. Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposes a bankruptcy prediction model by applying the hybrid of logistic regression and Bayesian probabilistic networks. Findings: The proposed model shows its potential of contributing to a powerful tool to predict financial bankruptcy of shipping operators, and provides important insights to the maritime community as to what performance measures should be taken to ensure the shipping companies’ financial soundness under dynamic environments. Research limitations/implications: The model and its associated variables can be expanded to include more factors for an in-depth analysis in future when the detailed information at firm level becomes available. Practical implications: The results of this study can be implemented to oil tanker shipping firms as a prediction tool for bankruptcy rate. Originality/value: Incorporating quantitative statistical measurement, the application of BN in financial risk management provides advantages to develop a powerful early warning system in shipping, which has unique characteristics such as capital intensive and mobile assets, possibly leading to catastrophic consequences

Cost aggregation in export logistics chain

This paper analyses cost aggregation in a supply chain. It provides a literature overview on the key concepts of cost aggregation, multimodal transport, logistic chain and maritime transport. The focuses on the value adding process with logistics data and assesses the costs accumulation during the transport process. The paper also reveals multimodal impacts on the logistics costs. The research data is obtained from the costing system of a large export company. The company exports round 90% of its production and mostly to the European markets. The research data contains a sample of 929 invoiced orders to the largest market of the mill. The research results indicate empirical evidence of the cost-function properties. This type of an approach is rare in logistics literature as these detailed data sets are highly difficult to obtain. The article concludes by addressing future research task and directions

Nanodiamonds and their surface modification strategies for drug delivery applications

Nanodiamonds (NDs) have excellent mechanical, chemical and biological properties with many advantages like good biocompatibility, tailorable surface chemistry, and low cytotoxicity that makes them as most desired candidates for the drug delivery applications compared with other carbon materials including fullerenes, carbon black, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphenes. Since NDs are distinctive among other carbon nanomaterials, they are recognized and considered as the most potential nanomaterials for technological and biomedical applications. Surface modifications are known to be one of the active methods to enhance or fine tune their properties. Thus, surface modified NDs could assist to adsorb or conjugate various drug molecules, target ligands and nucleic acids for drug delivery applications. This review focuses on the NDs synthesis and surface modifications of NDs and their recent applications in the field of drug delivery. Eventually, the review is summarized with a brief conclusion and future prospects in this field.U.T. Uthappa, O.R. Arvind, G. Sriram, Dusan Losic, Ho-Young-Jung, Madhuprasad Kigga, Mahaveer D. Kurkur

Belief system, meaningfulness, and psychopathology associated with suicidality among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research suggests that Chinese religious believers are more likely to commit suicide than those identifying as non-religious among rural young adults, contrary to findings in Western countries. However, one cannot conclude that religiosity is associated with elevated suicide risk without examining the effect of political and religious beliefs in a generally atheist country like China where political belief plays a dominant role in the belief system of young adults. The present study investigated the effects of political and religious belief on suicidality with meaningfulness and psychopathology as potential mediators in a large representative sample of Chinese college students.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1390 first-year college students randomly sampled from 10 colleges and universities in mainland China.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 1168 respondents (84.0%) provided complete data on all variables. Lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt were 45.1%, 6.8%, and 1.9% respectively, with one-year suicidal ideation showing at 19.3%. Female gender was associated with elevated risk of suicidality. Political belief but not religious belief was associated with decreased suicide risk. A significant interactive effect of political belief and religious belief was found, indicating that for political believers, being religious was associated with decreased suicide risk; for non-political believers, being religious was associated with increased suicide risk. Multi-group structural equation modeling showed that meaningfulness completely mediated and psychopathology partially mediated the effect of belief system on suicidality. Gender differences were found in pathways of political belief by religious beliefs to suicidality and political belief to psychopathology. The coefficients were significant for males but not for females.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In less religious societies, political belief may serve as a means of integration as does religious affiliation in religious societies. Males were more likely to benefit from the protective effect of a belief system on suicidality than females.</p