Life Satisfaction and Maslow\u27s Hierarchy of Needs: An Analysis of 48 Nations

To assess whether Maslow\u27s hierarchy of needs can predict life satisfaction, the present study utilizes Wave 7 (2017-2020) of the World Values Survey. These data include questions on health and financial satisfaction, as well as trust and confidence in societal institutions disseminated to over 69 000 individuals from 48 countries. According to Maslow\u27s hierarchy of needs, it is predicted that greater life satisfaction will be subsequently predicted by health satisfaction at the first level, financial satisfaction at the second level, and trust and confidence at the third level. Data were split by both the individual and national levels to determine how life satisfaction can be predicted by individuals and nations. Based on previous findings from Wave 6 (2010-2014), we anticipate that financial satisfaction and income (aligning with Maslow\u27s second level) are more important predictors of greater life satisfaction than health satisfaction (aligning with Maslow\u27s first level). Results will provide important implications regarding the application of Maslow\u27s hierarchy of needs at both the individual and national levels

The 74MHz System on the Very Large Array

The Naval Research Laboratory and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory completed implementation of a low frequency capability on the VLA at 73.8 MHz in 1998. This frequency band offers unprecedented sensitivity (~25 mJy/beam) and resolution (~25 arcsec) for low-frequency observations. We review the hardware, the calibration and imaging strategies, comparing them to those at higher frequencies, including aspects of interference excision and wide-field imaging. Ionospheric phase fluctuations pose the major difficulty in calibrating the array. Over restricted fields of view or at times of extremely quiescent ionospheric ``weather'', an angle-invariant calibration strategy can be used. In this approach a single phase correction is devised for each antenna, typically via self-calibration. Over larger fields of view or at times of more normal ionospheric ``weather'' when the ionospheric isoplanatic patch size is smaller than the field of view, we adopt a field-based strategy in which the phase correction depends upon location within the field of view. This second calibration strategy was implemented by modeling the ionosphere above the array using Zernike polynomials. Images of 3C sources of moderate strength are provided as examples of routine, angle-invariant calibration and imaging. Flux density measurements indicate that the 74 MHz flux scale at the VLA is stable to a few percent, and tied to the Baars et al. value of Cygnus A at the 5 percent level. We also present an example of a wide-field image, devoid of bright objects and containing hundreds of weaker sources, constructed from the field-based calibration. We close with a summary of lessons the 74 MHz system offers as a model for new and developing low-frequency telescopes. (Abridged)Comment: 73 pages, 46 jpeg figures, to appear in ApJ

Gemini Principles

Up to 30% of annual spend across the built environment is lost in inefficiencies related to poor quality data1. This is seen in lost productivity due to underperforming economic and social infrastructure. Effective information management will enable better decisions, leading to financial savings, improved performance and service, and better outcomes for business and society per whole-life pound. To make this possible an information management framework is necessary. This paper seeks to build consensus on foundational definitions and guiding values – the Gemini Principles – and to begin enabling alignment on the approach to information management across the built environment.Funded by the Centre for Digital Built Britai

Milestones in the Observations of Cosmic Magnetic Fields

Magnetic fields are observed everywhere in the universe. In this review, we concentrate on the observational aspects of the magnetic fields of Galactic and extragalactic objects. Readers can follow the milestones in the observations of cosmic magnetic fields obtained from the most important tracers of magnetic fields, namely, the star-light polarization, the Zeeman effect, the rotation measures (RMs, hereafter) of extragalactic radio sources, the pulsar RMs, radio polarization observations, as well as the newly implemented sub-mm and mm polarization capabilities. (Another long paragraph is omitted due to the limited space here)Comment: Invited Review (ChJA&A); 32 pages. Sorry if your significant contributions in this area were not mentioned. Published pdf & ps files (with high quality figures) now availble at http://www.chjaa.org/2002_2_4.ht

Synthesis of phosphonate-functionalized polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) particles and their kinetic behavior in miniemulsion polymerization

Phosphonate-functionalized polymer nanoparticles were synthesized by free-radical copolymerization of vinylphosphonic acid (VPA) with styrene or methyl methacrylate (MMA) using the miniemulsion technique. The influence of different parameters such as monomer and surfactant type, amount of vinylphosphonic acid on the average particle size, and size distribution was studied using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Depending on the amount and type of the surfactant used (ionic or non-ionic), phosphonate-functionalized particles in a size range from 102 to 312 nm can be obtained. The density of the phosphonate groups on the particle surface was higher in the case of using MMA as a basis monomer than polystyrene. The kinetic behavior of VPA copolymerization with styrene or MMA using a hydrophobic initiator was investigated by reaction calorimetry. Different kinetic curves were observed for miniemulsion (co)polymerization of styrene- and MMA-based nanoparticles indicating different nucleation mechanisms

Dynamic Nuclear Polarization NMR Spectroscopy Allows High-Throughput Characterization of Microporous Organic Polymers

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) solid-state NMR was used to obtain natural abundance 13C and 15N CP MAS NMR spectra of microporous organic polymers with excellent signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for unprecedented details in the molecular structure to be determined for these complex polymer networks. Sensitivity enhancements larger than 10 were obtained with bis-nitroxide radical at 14.1 T and low temperature (∼105 K). This DNP MAS NMR approach allows efficient, high-throughput characterization of libraries of porous polymers prepared by combinatorial chemistry methods

Rationality, accounting and benchmarking water businesses: An analysis of measurement challenges

Ananda, J ORCiD: 0000-0002-4072-6725Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the sensitivity of economic efficiency rankings of water businesses to the choice of alternative physical and accounting capital input measures. Design/methodology/approach Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to compute efficiency rankings for government-owned water businesses from the state of Victoria, Australia, over the period 2005/06 through 2012/13. Differences between DEA models when capital inputs were measured using either: (a) statutory accounting values (historic cost and fair value), (b) physical measures, or (c) regulatory accounting values, were scrutinised. Findings Depending on the choice of capital input, significant variation in efficiency scores and the ranking of the top (worst) performing firms was observed. Research limitations/implications Future research may explore the generalizability of findings to a wider sample of water utilities globally. Future work can also consider the most reliable treatment of capital inputs in efficiency analysis. Practical implications Regulators should be cautious when using economic efficiency data in benchmarking exercises. A consistent approach to account for the capital stock is needed in the determination of price caps and designing incentives for poor performers. Originality/value DEA has been widely used to explore the role of ownership structure, firm size and regulation on water utility efficiency. This is the first study of its kind to explore the sensitivity of DEA to alternative physical and accounting capital input measures. This research also improves the conventional performance measurement in water utilities by using a bootstrap procedure to address the deterministic nature of the DEA approach

The potential adoption of IFRS for U.S. issuers: A textual analysis of responses to the proposal

This paper uses textual analysis to analyse the comments received by the U.S. SEC on the proposal to allow U.S. listed companies to prepare financial statements following International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The paper contributes to the understanding of the overall desirability of international accounting convergence as well as the politics involved in attempting to reach consensus on such decisions. Most respondents supported the proposal. Respondents outlined the advantages of adopting IFRS as enhanced comparability, simplification, cost savings, extensive information sets, its capacity to improve the standard setting process, and its potential to serve U.S. interests. On the other hand, a minority of respondents were not supportive of the proposal. There was criticism of the lack of independence, enforcement mechanisms and resource availability of the IASB; the deleterious effect on U.S. interests; the questionable quality of the IFRS; and the perceived myths of convergence. Following the review of such comments, the paper outlines the implications of such a potential adoption of IFRS in U.S. to the Asian region as the pressure to extend IFRS to non-listed companies mounts. The paper also argues that Asian countries need to lobby for higher representation on the IASB and consider local customs, law and context while adopting IFRS, as such factors have been stressed upon by U.S. respondents to the SEC’s proposal