An empirical investigation of agency costs and ownership structure in unlisted small businesses

The study uses panel data to investigate agency costs, both principal-agent (PA) and principal-principal (PP), in 240 small businesses not listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. Results show that both forms of agency cost vary according to industry, the life of the business and size. The results indicate that the degree of owner involvement in the business influences firm PA and PP agency costs. Moreover, this study finds non-linear relationship between agency costs and ownership structure align with convergence of interest hypothesis and managerial entrenchment hypothesis. It is noted that the distortion between equity returns and debt returns gives rise to a preference for quasi-equity and distorts the productive base and effective pricing of risk. The analysis indicates there is considerable variability in the burden of agency cost and that this raises the potential for regulatory and policy reforms that may enhance the productivity and growth in the sector

Investigation of Teachers’ Attitudes towards Computer Use in Primary Education in Kurdistan

Technological advances have pervasively changed our behaviours, beliefs and approaches in working, socialising and entertaining. Educators, including those in primary education, have acknowledged the positive effects of computer use in the classroom in various ways. With regard to pedagogical consideration, primary school teachers have adopted computer use in teaching pupils with emphasis on student-centred teaching techniques. The integration of computers in the primary curriculum has been applied in many countries, from developing (Chile) to developed nations (the US and UK). With regard to Iraqi Kurdistan, in particular, the education sector has undergone a major reform in order to improve the regional education standards and, as part of a new curriculum, the computer element has been embedded alongside the mathematics subject. Since the reform occurred, no academic study has been conducted to not only evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of computer use in primary schools in Kurdistan, but also to investigate teachers’ attitudes towards the use of computers in their teaching approach. Hence, the present study aims primarily to explore the general background of primary school teachers as well as their experiences, skills and pedagogical attitudes towards computer use in primary education. Keywords: Computer use, technology, primary schools; teachers; pedagogical approaches

Revealing the Role of Electrostatics in Molecular Recognition, Ion Binding and pH-Dependent Phenomena

In this dissertation, we study the role of electrostatics in molecular recognition, ion binding and pH-dependent phenomena. In this work that includes three different research projects, the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) model is used to describe the biological system and Delphi (which is a popular tool for solving the PB equation (PBE)) to study the electrostatics of biomolecular systems. Chapter two aims to investigate the role of electrostatic forces in molecular recognition. We calculated electrostatic forces between binding partners separated at various distances. To accomplish this goal, we developed a method to find an appropriate direction to move one chain of protein complexes away from its bound position, and then calculated the corresponding electrostatic force as a function of separation distance. Based on the electrostatic force profile (force as a function of distance), we grouped the cases into four distinct categories. Chapter three reports a new release of a computational method, the BION-2 method, that predicts the positions of non-specifically surface-bound ions. The BION-2 utilizes the Gaussian-based treatment of ions within the framework of the modified Poisson–Boltzmann equation, which does not require a sharp boundary between the protein and water phase. Thus, the predictions are done by the balance of the energy of interaction between the protein charges and the corresponding ions and the de-solvation penalty of the ions as they approach the protein. The BION-2 is tested against experimentally determined ions’ positions, demonstrating that it outperforms the old BION and other available tools. Chapter four focuses on computationally investigating the pH-dependent stability of several melanosomal membrane proteins and comparing them to the pH dependence of the stability of TYR. We confirmed that the pH optimum of TYR is neutral, and we also found that proteins that are negative regulators of melanosomal pH are predicted to function optimally at neutral pH. In contrast, positive pH regulators were predicted to have an acidic pH optimum

Decontamination of the passaic river sediments using ultrasound with ozone nano-bubbles

The Passaic River is 129km long and flows through the northern New Jersey. During the mid-twentieth century, the U.S. census indicated that there were approximately 2,900 industries along the river bank. The amount of industries established next to the river indicated the inevitable river pollution, which was compounded by lenient environmental protection laws. One of the major contributors of the river pollution was Diamond Alkali Co., which started production of chemicals around 1951 at the 4km marker in the Passaic River. In 1970, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) identified the Passaic River as the second most polluted river in the United States, where in 1983 a Diamond Alkali site investigation showed extremely high levels of hazardous chemicals. Contaminants in the river included PAHs, PCDD/F, PCBs, DDT, pesticides and their byproducts, and heavy metals including Hg, Cr, and Pb. This made the contaminated river eligible for cleanup funds under the federal Superfund program. Hence, the U.S. EPA initiated investigations to identify the severity of the river pollution. In 2016, the U.S. EPA proposed a cleanup program to mitigate the impact of the pollution in the river sediments. Scrutinizing the U.S. EPA remediation plan brings up concerns that will impact the current condition of the river. The dredging exposing the contaminated sediments to freshwater, capping to prevent future dredging, and others such as dewatering and the transportation of the dredged sediments impacting the community during the cleanup are some of the major concerns. Hence, identifying a better and complete technology to remediate the Passaic River\u27s contaminated sediments is a necessity. This remediation plan should have the capability to be carried out in-situ, where the negative impacts from the current plan can be mitigated. This research is on developing a novel in-situ technology to remediate the Passaic River sediments by using ultrasound and ozone nano-bubbles. The study identifies key parameters that will enhance the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from the contaminated sediments. The key parameters that impact the proposed technology are temperature, pH level, ozone nano-bubble size, dissolved ozone concentration, ultrasound power, dwell time, and the duration of ultrasound treatment. Each parameter is varied while observing its impact on the removal efficiency of organic and inorganic contaminants in contaminated sediments. The solution temperature has a direct impact on Ozone levels in water, where organic material removal indicates high removal efficiencies at low temperatures. The maximum removal efficiencies of organics were 92%. The inorganic contaminant used during the investigation is chromium. The removal efficiency of the chromium does not show a significant impact due to temperature, where the study shows a 98% removal efficiency. The test results show that the combination of ozone, nano-bubbles, and ultrasound to treat contaminated sediments is a reliable and implementable technology. The data obtained from the laboratory experiments can be used to develop a pilot scale study for possible field application

Bayesian Minimum Description Length Techniques for Multiple Changepoint Detection

This dissertation develops a minimum description length (MDL) multiple changepoint detection procedure that allows for prior distributions. MDL methods, which are penalized likelihood techniques with penalties based on data description-length information principles, have been successfully applied to many recent multiple changepoint problems. This work shows ow to modify the MDL penalty to account for various prior knowledge. Our motivation lies in climatology. Here, a metadata record, which is a file listing times when a recording station physically moved, instrumentation was changed, etc., sometimes exists. While metadata records are notoriously incomplete, they permit the construct a prior distribution that helps detect changepoints. This allows both documented and undocumented changepoints to be analyzed in tandem. The method developed here takes into account 1) metadata, 2) reference series, 3) seasonal means, and 4) autocorrelations. Asymptotically, our estimated multiple changepoint configuration of monthly data is shown to be consistent. The methods are illustrated in the analysis of 114 years of monthly temperatures from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The multivariate aspect of the methods allow maximum and minimum temperatures to be jointly studied. A method for homogenizing daily temperature series is also developed. While daily temperatures have a complex structure, statistical techniques have been accumulating that can now accommodate all of the salient characteristics of daily temperatures. The goal here is to combine these techniques in a reasonable manner for multiple changepoint identification in daily series; computational speed is key as a century of daily data has over 36,000 data points. Autocorrelation aspects are important since correlation can destroy changepoint techniques and sample correlations of day-to-day temperature anomalies are often as large as 0.7. While homogenized daily temperatures may not be as useful as homogenized monthly or yearly temperatures, homogenization done on a daily scale affords one greater statistical precision. It is relatively easy to visually discern two changepoints (breakpoints) two years apart with daily data, but virtually impossible to see them in annual series. The methods are applied to 46 years of daily data at South Haven, Michigan

Classifying Quenching Galaxies: Comparing Methods

Quenching galaxies are galaxies that are rapidly evolving from strongly star forming systems to galaxies with mostly old stars and low star formation rates. When identifying quenching galaxies, there are several methods in common use. Furthermore, there are several ways astronomers estimate the Star Formation Rate (SFR), in Solar Masses per year, and Stellar Mass (M*), in Solar Masses, of galaxies. For a large sample of galaxies, we used 6 derivations of M* and 4 for SFR, plotting them against each other for comparison. We also calculated and compared the specific SFR (sSFR), equal to SFR/M*, and compared the different methods of defining quenched galaxies. Finally, we divided up these plots by classification, Red Sequence/Green Valley/Blue Cloud, and different values of log (SFR). This project was completed with the support of a grant from the NASA Tennessee Space Grant Consortium

Assessment Knowledge of Primary School Teachers Regarding to the Prevention of Dental Caries in Kirkuk City

Background:- Dental caries is a common disorder, second only to the common cold. It usually occurs in children and young adults but can affect any person. Tooth decay is a common cause of tooth loss in younger people Aim of the study:- In order to assess knowledge of primary school teachers regarding to the prevention of dental caries in Kirkuk city Methodology:- A descriptive study is carried out from 10th July 2013 to the  20th April 2014 in order to assess teachers' Knowledge Regarding the prevention of dental caries in Kirkuk city. Simple probability random sample of (100) teacher is selected from (25) primary schools in Kirkuk city. The sample is comprised of (21) male and (79) female. Developed questionnaire was constructed for the purpose of the study which consisted of two parts: the first part include the demographic data (6 ) items , the second part consist from (15 ) items about knowledge of teachers about prevention of dental caries . A pilot study was conducted from 22 to 27 September 2013 at the beginning of the study in three primary schools, which is (al-waten, al-tahade and asos primary schools); nine teachers were studied and evaluated. Content validity was determined by presenting the questionnaire to a panel of (10) experts. The data were collected through the use of interview. They were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistical analysis (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistical data analysis (chi-square)by using the statistical package of social science (SPSS ) version (19 ). Results :- The findings of the study indicated that (49%) of the teachers  were in age group between (39-48) years , (79%) were females, (75%) were institutions graduated  ,major of the study sample were married and constitute  (83%), all sample were  from urban area and constitute (100%).(61%) were premolar site for caries  . Conclusions:- the study finding the teachers have good knowledge about prevention dental caries also the result find significant relationship between  teacher's knowledge about dental caries and their some demographic data except the mechanisms of saliva to  inhibit caries formation. Keywords:- Assessment , knowledge , primary school teachers ,dental caries

Efficiency and productivity in Sri Lanka’s banking sector: Evidence from the post-conflict era

After the end of the 26-year armed conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the ethnic Tamil rebels in 2009, Sri Lanka experienced a favourable macroeconomic environment with an improvement in security conditions, resettlement and the revival of economic activities in the Northern and Eastern regions of the country. The banking sector also recorded significant expansion with respect to the volume of transactions as well as geographical dispersion of banking services during this period, stimulated by the overall economic growth. The aim of this thesis is to conduct a thorough analysis of the technical efficiency and productivity of the Sri Lankan banking sector encompassing the period of post-conflict economic expansion beginning in 2009. To achieve this aim the thesis focuses on five main areas. First, it compares banking sector efficiency in the periods immediately before and after the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. Second, it compares the efficiency of three mutually exclusive bank groups, namely foreign commercial banks, domestic commercial banks and domestic specialised banks. Third, it evaluates the potential determinants of banking sector efficiency, including the contribution of branch network expansion and the geographical dispersion of branches. Fourth, it evaluates productivity changes across the two periods (before and after the end of the armed conflict) for the three abovementioned banking groups. Fifth, it analyses disparities in banking sector efficiency across the nine regions of Sri Lanka, and the contribution of socio-economic factors to their efficiency

‘Monsters’ vs. ‘Angels’: A Feminist Approach to the Film Brave Through the Character of Merida

Brave (2012) is an animated film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney pictures. Set in the fictional medieval times of Scotland, the story follows the journey of Merida, a rebellious young girl who strives to dismantle oppressive social norms and conventional attitudes upheld by her mother. The way in which the film presents powerful feminist ideologies is discussed by providing insight into the importance of solidarity between women, repressive gender stereotypes and the cyclical nature of oppression within the patriarchal social structure. The concept of gender and its complexities are explored within this study to identify dominant patriarchal ideologies that are marginalizing and discriminatory towards women. The trajectory of Merida which is representative of the struggles of women within the patriarchal social structure is analysed while focusing on the mother-daughter relationship. This research aims to present the oppressiveness of socially constructed gender identities through the challenges faced by Merida in her fight for freedom and self-expression. The feminist elements of the film are discussed based on the dichotomy of the ‘angel’ and the ‘monster’ highlighted by the theorists Gilbert and Gubar in Mad Woman in the Attic (1979). Furthermore, the theories of bell hooks, Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler and Luce Irigaray are used to support the central argument. DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v07i01.1