Behaviour of the Blazar CTA 102 during two giant outbursts

Blazar CTA 102 underwent exceptional optical and high-energy outbursts in 2012 and 2016-2017. We analyze its behaviour during these events, focusing on polarimetry as a tool that allows us to trace changes in the physical conditions and geometric configuration of the emission source close to the central black hole. We also use Fermi gamma-ray data in conjunction with optical photometry in an effort to localize the origin of the outbursts.AST-1615796 - Boston Universit

Risk Assessment at the Cosmetic Product Manufacturer by Expert Judgment Method

A case study was performed in a cosmetic product manufacturer. We have identified the main risk factors of occupational accidents and their causes. Risk of accidents is assessed by the expert judgment method. Event tree for the most probable accident is built and recommendations on improvement of occupational health and safety protection system at the cosmetic product manufacturer are developed. The results of this paper can be used to develop actions to improve the occupational safety and health system in the chemical industry

The Changing Role of Universities in Economic Growth

Social and economic evolution is described by numerous wave and cyclic concepts. Nevertheless, at certain historical periods, societies make great breakthroughs known as technological revolutions. Now we are on the threshold of the fourth industrial revolution characterized by a rapid development of such industries, as robotics, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, brain engineering, and 3D printing. Social and economic development always went in parallel with science. However, the role of science in economic processes has been changing throughout time. The focus of the present research is the university as a key actor of economic change. Historically, it is possible to allocate four types of universities by analogy with four industrial revolutions. Under the conditions of the fourth industrial revolution there is a radical shift in the university model. From R&D and technology transfer universities move to creation of intellectual capital. Universities do not simply conduct R&D for business, but also create essentially new industries. Universities become a centre round which new hi-tech enterprises grow. This phenomenon has been entitled an entrepreneurial university, which is considered to be the main actor of entrepreneurial (startup) economy. The research main objective is identification of key factors in the entrepreneurial university success. The authors analysed the Global University Venturing ranking leading universities. The research is not limited to the quantitative data; qualitative indicators are also of great importance. Various techniques to estimate the university entrepreneurial capacity (Reuters, EULP-Entrepreneurial Universities Leaders Program) have been considered, and their comparative analysis has been conducted. The final model is based both on quantitative or qualitative indicators; the model can be used not only for estimation of entrepreneurial capability, but for the development of university strategy as well

Risk Assessment at the Cosmetic Product Manufacturer by Expert Judgment Method

A case study was performed in a cosmetic product manufacturer. We have identified the main risk factors of occupational accidents and their causes. Risk of accidents is assessed by the expert judgment method. Event tree for the most probable accident is built and recommendations on improvement of occupational health and safety protection system at the cosmetic product manufacturer are developed. The results of this paper can be used to develop actions to improve the occupational safety and health system in the chemical industry

How the institutional environment affects the banking sector: Evidence from BRICS

© 2018 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved. The BRICS countries are the largest economic bloc, and in many forecasts it is believed that the prospects for the growth of the world economy are related to their development (World Bank 2015, Randers 2012). On the one hand, the backwardness of the banking systems of the BRICS countries may be a factor in the financial vulnerability of countries in the future; on the other hand, the creation of institutional conditions for the effective functioning of the banking system is a potential source of economic growth in the BRICS countries. In this article the institutional environment of the banking system of the BRICS countries are analyzed. There is exploration of the key statistical characteristics of the banking sector, the main trends in its development. The institutional structure of the banking system is represented by external and internal institutions. The main aspect of the study is to reveal the characteristics of the external institutional environment. The purpose of our study is to test the following hypothesis: factors of the external institutional environment affect the banking system. The subject of the study is the BRICS countries banking system. The period of study: 2004 - 2015. We selected three characteristics: the degree of development of the banking system, the stability and efficiency of the banking system. We used the construction of econometric models to test the hypothesis. The findings of the investigation have distinguished the main characteristics of the external institutional environment that have an impact on the banking sector and determine its effectiveness: the size of the public sector and the degree of state intervention in the economy; tax freedom; freedom of doing business; historical and political characteristics; investment and monetary freedom

Analysis of negative magnetoresistance. Statistics of closed paths. I. Theory

Statistics of closed paths in two-dimensional (2D) systems, which just determines the interference quantum correction to conductivity and anomalous magnetoconductance, has been studied by computer simulation of a particle motion over the plane with randomly distributed scatterers. Both ballistic and diffusion regimes have been considered. The results of simulation have been analyzed in the framework of diffusion approximation. They are used for calculation of the magnetic field dependence of magnetoconductance in the model 2D system. It is shown that the anomalous magnetoconductance can be in principle described by the well known expression, obtained in the diffusion approximation, but with the prefactor less than unity and phase breaking length which differs from true value.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, to be published in Phys.Rev.