Why Do Firms Smooth Earnings?

We explain why a firm may smooth reported earnings. Greater earnings volatility leads to a bigger informational advantage for informed investors over uninformed investors. If sufficiently many current shareholders are uninformed and may need to trade in the future for liquidity reasons, an increase in the volatility of reported earnings will magnify these shareholders' trading losses. They will, therefore, want the manager to smooth reported earnings as much as possible. Empirical implications are drawn out that link earnings smoothing to managerial compensation contracts, uncertainty about the volatility of earnings, and ownership structure.

Observation of Mixed Alkali Like Behaviour by Fluorine Ion in Mixed Alkali Oxyfluro Vanadate Glasses: Analysis from Conductivity Measurements

In this communication we report the fluorine ion dynamics in mixed alkali oxyfluro vanadate glasses. We have measured the electrical conductivity using impedance spectroscopy technique Room temperature conductivity falls to 5 orders of magnitude from its single alkali values at 33 mol% of rubidium concentration. We have also estimated the distance between similar mobile ions using the density values. Assuming this distance as the hopping distance between the similar ions we have estimated the anionic (Fluorine ion in our case) conductivity. It is observed that the fluorine ion dynamics mimics the mixed alkali effect and scales as the onset frequency f0.Comment: submitted to DAE-SSDP 2018 Indi

Effects of lengthscales and attractions on the collapse of hydrophobic polymers in water

We present results from extensive molecular dynamics simulations of collapse transitions of hydrophobic polymers in explicit water focused on understanding effects of lengthscale of the hydrophobic surface and of attractive interactions on folding. Hydrophobic polymers display parabolic, protein-like, temperature-dependent free energy of unfolding. Folded states of small attractive polymers are marginally stable at 300 K, and can be unfolded by heating or cooling. Increasing the lengthscale or decreasing the polymer-water attractions stabilizes folded states significantly, the former dominated by the hydration contribution. That hydration contribution can be described by the surface tension model, $\Delta G=\gamma (T)\Delta A$, where the surface tension, $\gamma$, is lengthscale dependent and decreases monotonically with temperature. The resulting variation of the hydration entropy with polymer lengthscale is consistent with theoretical predictions of Huang and Chandler (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,97, 8324-8327, 2000) that explain the blurring of entropy convergence observed in protein folding thermodynamics. Analysis of water structure shows that the polymer-water hydrophobic interface is soft and weakly dewetted, and is characterized by enhanced interfacial density fluctuations. Formation of this interface, which induces polymer folding, is strongly opposed by enthalpy and favored by entropy, similar to the vapor-liquid interface.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L. Dunal) crop as affected by the application of farm yard manure (FYM) and inorganic phosphorus in typic Torripsamment of Hisar

The vegetative parameters of ashwagandha (viz. plant height, number of primary branches, plant spread and dry weight of shoot) were enhanced significantly with the application of 12.5 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil, whereas; dry weight of roots was enhanced up to the application level of 25 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil. FYM at the rate of 12.5 t ha-1 in combination with 12.5 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil significantly improved all the vegetative parameters, whereas, FYM at the rate of 12.5 t ha-1 in combination with 25 mg P2O5 kg-1 soilsignificantly enhanced the dry weight of the roots. The alkaloids yield (mg pot-1) in ashwagandha roots increased significantly with the application of 25 mg PP2O5 kg-1 soil. The application of FYM at the rate of 12.5 t ha-1 improved the alkaloids yield (mg pot-1) but the significantly highest yield of total alkaloids (mg pot-1) was found in the treatment combination of 12.5 t FYM ha-1 + inorganic-P at the rate of 25 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil as compared with other eleven treatments. Nutrients (NPK) uptake by ashwagandha shoot increased significantly with the application level of 12.5 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil over control whereas in case of ashwagandha roots, the increase in nutrients uptake at the level of 25 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil over control. Application of FYM at the rate of 12.5 t ha-1 + 12.5 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil was the best treatment combination for ashwagandha roots in terms of nutrients uptake. Application of fertilizer-P significantly improved the status of organic carbon, Available-P in post harvest soil but decreased the Available-N, Available-K and DTPA extractable micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn) up to the level of 25 mg P2O5 kg-1 soil. FYM at the rate of 12.5 t ha-1 helped in maintaining the soil fertility status after harvest of the crop alone or in combination with fertilizer-P.Key words: Ashwagandha, phosphorus, farmyard manure, alkaloids, nutrients uptake, soil fertility

An Exploration of the Emergence of Coordinated Domestic Supply Chain for Exotic Vegetables in India: A Case Study of Baby corn

This study based upon primary data had been carried out to explore the domestic supply chain for baby corn as well as to examine the investment and sales pattern of baby corn of the market agents. The study indicated that the entry of corporate sector in the non-traditional agricultural sector has paved a way for a small segment of the market agents at each level along the commodity specific entire supply chain for an upward mobility. Production thereby of the sales of baby corn was relatively concentrated during the months of October and November. Its average monthly sales from the primary wholesalers were about 14% higher to the secondary wholesalers in Punjab when compared to West Bengal. Its average monthly sales to the organized sector compared to the traditional retail sector stood 7.51% higher in the primary wholesale market whereas 33.01% higher in the secondary wholesale market of Ludhiana city. However, traditional i.e. unorganized retail sector like the sales of seasonal fruits and vegetables also predominates in the sales of this exotic vegetable item. It seems that the sales of this exotic item from the organized retail sector might have been concentrated from particular stores/localities.JEL classification: Q11, Q1

Introducing Abstract Mathematics through Digit Sums and Cyclic Patterns

Using simple concepts that middle and high school students should be able to grasp, including “clock face arithmetic,” the standard multiplication table, and adding the digits of a number together, more abstract concepts such as modular arithmetic and cyclic groups may be introduced at an early stage in the students’ mathematical career. We find this approach to be organic and appealing to most students, encouraging them to think in different ways about familiar objects, and we encourage educators to test the concepts in their own classrooms

Analytic Geometry and Calculus I

This Grants Collection for Analytic Geometry and Calculus I was created under a Round Two ALG Textbook Transformation Grant. Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process. Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials: Linked Syllabus Initial Proposal Final Reporthttps://oer.galileo.usg.edu/mathematics-collections/1008/thumbnail.jp