Does the financial performance matter in accessing to finance for Libya's SMEs?

This study investigates the impact of financial performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on access to finance in Libya. The study is based on the primary data of 557 survey questionnaires on SMEs in various sectors of different regions of Libya. The data analysis contains the computation of descriptive statistics, correlation statistics and multivariate regression analysis. Our results confirm that financial performance expressed by liability to assets ratios, profit, return of assets have no significant effects on access to finance in Libya

DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL Z-AXIS PRECISION POSITIONING STAGE WITH MILLIMETER TRAVEL RANGE BASED ON A LINEAR PIEZOELECTRIC MOTOR

Piezoelectric-based positioners are incorporated into stereotaxic devices for microsurgery, scanning tunneling microscopes for the manipulation of atomic and molecular-scale structures, nanomanipulator systems for cell microinjection and machine tools for semiconductor-based manufacturing. Although several precision positioning systems have been developed for planar motion, most are not suitable to provide long travel range with large load capacity in vertical axis because of their weights, size, design and embedded actuators. This thesis develops a novel positioner which is being developed specifically for vertical axis motion based on a piezoworm arrangement in flexure frames. An improved estimation of the stiffness for Normally Clamped (NC) clamp is presented. Analytical calculations and finite element analysis are used to optimize the design of the lifting platform as well as the piezoworm actuator to provide maximum thrust force while maintaining a compact size. To make a stage frame more compact, the actuator is integrated into the stage body. The complementary clamps and the amplified piezoelectric actuators based extenders are designed such that no power is needed to maintain a fixed vertical position, holding the payload against the force of gravity. The design is extended to a piezoworm stage prototype and validated through several tests. Experiments on the prototype stage show that it is capable of a speed of 5.4 mm/s, a force capacity of 8 N and can travel over 16 mm

Data-centric communication framework for multicast iec 61850 routable GOOSE messages over the WAN in modern power systems

In this paper, a data-centric communication framework is proposed for multicast routable generic object-oriented substation event (GOOSE) messages (MRGM) over the wide area network (WAN) for effective substation-to-substation (SS2SS) and substation to control center (SS2CC) communications. In this structure, the IEC 61850 GOOSE message is transmitted over the WAN using the data distribution service (DDS) as a fast, reliable, and secure data-centric communication middleware. The main feature of this framework is its multicast capability, where several authorized subscribers can receive a published message simultaneously. This can significantly improve the system monitoring and control of the protection systems in modern smart grids, where intelligent schemes can be applied. The effectiveness of the proposed platform, in terms of total end-to-end delay between participants, is evaluated through experimental results obtained from the actual hardware-based test setup developed at the Florida International University (FIU) smart grid testbed. The results demonstrate that the latency between sending and receiving a GOOSE message among participants is within its maximum time span defined by the IEC 61850-90-5 working group for communications over the WAN

Exploring the Major Trends and Emerging Themes of Artificial Intelligence in the Scientific Leading Journals amidst the COVID-19 Era

Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently become the focus of academia and practitioners, reflecting the substantial evolution of scientific production in this area, particularly during the COVID-19 era. However, there is no known academic work exploring the major trends and the extant and emerging themes of scientific research production of AI leading journals. To this end, this study is to specify the research progress on AI among the top-tier journals by highlighting the development of its trends, topics, and key themes. This article employs an integrated bibliometric analysis using evaluative and relational metrics to analyze, map, and outline the key trends and themes of articles published in the leading AI academic journals, based on the latest CiteScore of Scopus-indexed journals between 2020 and 2021. The findings depict the major trends, conceptual and social structures, and key themes of AI leading journals’ publications during the given period. This paper represents valuable implications for concerned scholars, research centers, higher education institutions, and various organizations within different domains. Limitations and directions for further research are outlined.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The number of countable models via Algebraic logic

Vaught's Conjecture states that if T is a complete First order theory in a countable language that has more than aleph_0 pairwise non isomorphic countable models, then T has 2^aleph_0 such models. Morley showed that if T has more than aleph_1 pairwise non isomorphic countable models, then it has 2^aleph_0 such models. In this paper, we First show how we can use algebraic logic, namely the representation theory of cylindric and quasi-polyadic algebras, to study Vaught's conjecture (count models), and we re-prove Morley's above mentioned theorem. Second, we show that Morley's theorem holds for the number of non isomorphic countable models omitting a countable family of types. We go further by giving examples showing that although this number can only take the values given by Morley's theorem, it can be different from the number of all non isomorphic countable models. Moreover, our examples show that the number of countable models omitting a family of types can also be either aleph_1 or 2 and therefore different from the possible values provided by Vaught's conjecture and by his well known theorem; in the case of aleph_1, however, the family is uncountable. Finally, we discuss an omitting types theorem of Shelah

AI Techniques for Combating Electronic Crimes and Enhancing Cybersecurity: Kuwaits Security Services as a Model

The research aimed to examine the security agencies use of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in combating cybercrime and its reflection on enhancing cyber security. The study used the survey method in its descriptive and analytical levels. The interview tool was used to collect information from the research sample, the size of which was 12 items. The research found a set of results where the respondents declared the presence of an anti- cybercrime team comprised of specialists in police sciences, engineering, information systems, and network engineering. They added that using AI enables specialists in security agencies to benefit from its enormous potential in analyzing data, tracking cybercrime perpetrators through social networking sites, managing, and using information, following up on complaints, publications, and other messages, preparing security reports, and submitting them to the competent authorities, completing many general daily tasks and monitoring all the information that may affect the public opinion. The study recommended setting up industries related to AI technology to produce smart knowledge and unifying Arab capabilities in the information technology and communication field to protect Arab national security by combating foreign technical intrusions and virtual hegemony, representing the most advanced form of futuristic weapons

Periodontal Practice, Implant Practice and Referral Profile of General Dentists in Palestine

It is logical to expect an increase in the number of referrals to periodontists due to increasing age and the sophistication of periodontal treatments. But the actual scenario is different as the referral rates to dental specialists are still low. An online questionnaire was sent to 300 general dental practitioners in Palestine. A total of 180 full questionnaires were received back and statistically analyzed. From this study it was found that Palestinian dentists are practicing most of the non-surgical procedures at their dental offices; while referrals for surgical procedures were made

FUENTES BIBLIOGRÁFICAS GENERALES PARA EL ESTUDIO DE LA FRASEOLOGIA ESPAÑOLA DESDE LA PERSPECTIVA DIDÁCTICA Y DE LA ENSEÑANZA DEL ESPAÑOL COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA E/LE

Phraseology has received great interest by researchers over time. This is why we found dozens of works related to different perspectives of this discipline. It should be noted that this article comes as a continuation of some research works we have done over the past five years. The present paper includes the works that deal with phraseology from the didactic perspective and teaching Spanish as a foreign language. This bibliographical list mainly includes works published until 2018, that is, it has been updated for contemporary scholars in this branch of linguistics to provide them with a clear and global idea of the topics discussed in this regard. In this bibliographical repertoire, we deal with phraseology in its broad sense, that is, it encompasses collocations, idioms, phraseological statements and even proverbs. For easy consultation of this repertoire, we have divided the sources into several sections: articles published in journals and conferences; books or chapters of books dealing with the subject; and master's and doctoral dissertations. We are sure that these sources present a helpful guide for the study of this linguistic field.El campo de la fraseología ha suscitado el interés en los investigadores a lo largo de muchos años. Esto fue motivo de la aparición de decenas de trabajos relacionados con diferentes perspectivas de dicha disciplina. Este artículo viene como una continuación de algunos trabajos de investigación que hemos realizado a lo largo de los últimos cinco años. En este trabajo incluimos los trabajos que tratan la fraseología desde la perspectiva didáctica de la lengua además de aquellos relacionados con la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera. Esta relación bibliográfica recoge principalmente los trabajos publicados hasta 2018, es decir que está actualizada. Por ende, los investigadores de esta rama lingüística podrán tener una idea clara y global sobre los temas planteados al respecto. En este repertorio bibliográfico tratamos la fraseología desde su concepción amplia, es decir, que abarca las colocaciones, las locuciones, los enunciados fraseológicos e incluso las paremias. Para una fácil consulta, hemos dividido las fuentes en este repertorio en varias secciones: artículos publicados en revistas y en congresos, capítulos de libros y libros completos que tratan el tema; y memorias de máster y tesis doctorales. Estamos seguros de que estas fuentes representan una guía imprescindible para el estudio de este campo lingüístico

EL QUEHACER LEXICOGRÁFICO ESPAÑOL EN LÍNEA: EL PROYECTO DE LA BIBLIOTECA VIRTUAL DE FILOLOGÍA ESPAÑOLA COMO MODELO

This article is intended to be a reflection of the changes in the treatment of lexicography through computer innovation and its significant influence on the work of the human sciences. We all live a truth that the Internet has provided consulting a huge lexicographical production, so it is no longer necessary to physically go to a library to consult certain works because the very few copies of linguistics in general and lexicography in particular are within our reach trough a computer connected to the Internet. Due to this reason, it has been necessary to make the most of this tool by creating an updated lexicographical catalog, the Biblioteca Virtual de Filología Española -Virtual Library of Spanish Philology- (BVFE), which constitutes the model of the online Spanish lexicographical work.Este artículo es una reflexión sobre las modificaciones que ha experimentado el tratamiento de la lexicografía,debido a la influencia de la informática sobre la metodología de trabajo de las ciencias humanas. La red electrónica ha facilitado la consulta de una ingente producción lexicográfica, tornando menos urgente el acceso físico a las bibliotecas. Por ende, ha sido preciso emplear esta herramienta para la creación de catálogoslexicográficosactualizados, como el de la Biblioteca Virtual de Filología Española (BVFE), el cual constituye un modelo del quehacer lexicográfico español en línea