Improving quality assessment of composite indicators in university rankings: a case study of French and German universities of excellence

Composite indicators play an essential role for benchmarking higher education institutions. One of the main sources of uncertainty building composite indicators and, undoubtedly, the most debated problem in building composite indicators is the weighting schemes (assigning weights to the simple indicators or subindicators) together with the aggregation schemes (final composite indicator formula). Except the ideal situation where weights are provided by the theory, there clearly is a need for improving quality assessment of the final rank linked with a fixed vector of weights. We propose to use simulation techniques to generate random perturbations around any initial vector of weights to obtain robust and reliable ranks allowing to rank universities in a range bracket. The proposed methodology is general enough to be applied no matter the weighting scheme used for the composite indicator. The immediate benefit achieved is a reduction of the uncertainty associated with the assessment of a specific rank which is not representative of the real performance of the university, and an improvement of the quality assessment of composite indicators used to rank. To illustrate the proposed methodology we rank the French and the German universities involved in their respective 2008 Excellence Initiatives.Composite indicators, Rankings, Benchmarking, Higher education institutions, Weighting schemes, Simulation techniques

A checklist of mosses from Golden Hope Oil Palm Plantation and surrounding areas, Tawau, Sabah, East Malaysia

A total of 56 taxa in 31 genera and 14 families of mosses were collected from Golden Hope Oil Palm Plantation area. This represents 9.3% of the 597 species of mosses reported for Sabah and 7.7% of the 724 species reported for Borneo. Acroporium convolutum var. horridulum is a new record for Borneo, whereas Ectropotheciella distichophylla is a new record for Sabah. The largest family is Calymperaceae with six genera and 14 species, followed by Hypnaceae with four genera and nine species. Oil palm plantation recorded 25 species of mosses in 16 genera, while its surrounding natural areas recorded 42 species in 25 genera

The case of study of hazelnut shells biorefinery: Synthesis of active carbons from the hydrochar recovered downstream of levulinic acid production

Hazelnut processing industry generates significant waste streams, in particular cuticles and shells. Extractives are the main components of the cuticle fraction (~36 wt%), mainly including polyphenols and fatty acids, which can be advantageously employed in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. Focusing on the shell fraction, this represents ~50 % of the total nut weight. Differently from cuticles, shells are rich in recalcitrant lignin (~38 wt%), in addition to cellulose and hemicellulose (each component accounting for ~23 wt%). Up to now, this waste, which is preponderantly produced in Italy and Turkey, is mostly underutilized, being limitedly used as a boiler fuel for domestic heating and for landscaping. On the other hand, both these fractions of hazelnut shells can be successfully valorized and, in agreement with the objectives of the project PRIN 2020 LEVANTE “LEvulinic acid Valorization through Advanced Novel Technologies” (2020CZCJN7), we have proposed a new cascade approach, converting its cellulosic fraction into levulinic acid (∼9-12 wt%), recovering as final waste an abundant carbonaceous hydrochar (∼45 wt%), mainly composed of aromatic (from lignin) and furanic (from degradation of C5/C6 sugars) units. In the LEVANTE project, this hydrochar was activated by pyrolysis and chemical treatments (H3PO4, ZnCl2, KOH, NaOH), and the synthesized new active carbons (ACs) have been properly characterized (ultimate and proximate analysis, FT-IR, surface properties and SEM microscopy). This preliminary screening allowed us to select the KOH-AC as the most interesting one, as further confirmed by the highest CO2 adsorption capacity (~90 mg/g), due to its well-developed microporous texture. This new AC was also effective for the removal of the bulkier methylene blue (complete removal, corresponding to ~250 mg/g). This proposed integrated approach makes possible to fully exploit the hazelnut shell feedstock, smartly closing the biorefinery cycle of the hazelnut wastes, in a circular economy perspective. In addition, the selective fractionation of soluble C5 and C6 sugars of shell fraction is currently under investigation and this will enable us to obtain an hydrochar with a less-degraded lignin fraction, thus moving towards progressively more sustainable hydrothermal and activation reaction conditions. The authors are grateful to Italian “Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Università e della Ricerca” for the financial support provided through the stated PRIN 2020 LEVANTE project

Ru–CeO2 and Ni–CeO2 Coated on Open-Cell Metallic Foams by Electrodeposition for the CO2 Methanation

CO2 methanation structured catalysts, made by a layer of Ru–CeO2 or Ni–CeO2 (Ru/Ce = 3/97; Ni/Ce = 1/3 and 3/1) on open-cell NiCrAl foams, are prepared by electrodeposition and a subsequent calcination step. The performance of the catalysts at a space velocity of 320,000 mL gcat–1 h–1 in a feedstock with H2/CO2/N2 = 4/1/1 v/v, significantly depends on the Ni content and the preparation method. A low Ru or Ni content promotes the metal–CeO2 interaction, the formation of defects in CeO2 as well as the development of a lower amount of cracks in the coating; however, the catalysts show a poor CO2 conversion and selectivity to CH4. The CH4 production rate at low temperature largely increases for the high Ni loaded catalyst, 68.7 LCH4 gNi–1 h–1 at 350 °C oven temperature. This productivity is similar to the value obtained with a Ni3Ce1 pellet catalyst prepared by the coprecipitation method, a behavior not achievable for low Ru- and Ni-loaded catalysts

CITOTOXICIDAD Y ACTIVIDAD ANTIVIRAL DE EXTRACTOS DE CHILES (Capsicum spp), CYTOTOXICITY AND ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF PEPPER EXTRACTS (Capsicum spp)

RESUMENEn este trabajo se evaluaron  la citotoxicidad y la actividad antiviral en contra del virus herpes simplex tipo 1 (VHS-1)  de extractos  de chile Jalapeño, Serrano, Guajillo, Ancho, Pimiento (Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum.) y Habanero (Capsicum chinense Jacq), así como de los fenilpropanoides, ácidos fenólicos y flavonoides puros que fueron identificados por HPLC-MS en los extractos  de chile. La concentración que causa el 50 % de toxicidad en células Vero fue determinada (CC50) así como el potencial antiviral de los extractos de chiles y de los compuestos puros,  expresado como la concentración inhibitoria del 50 %  (CI50) en contra de los efectos citopáticos en células Vero infectadas con el virus. El índice de selectividad fue calculado como la relación de CC50 entreCI50.  El extracto de Pimiento mostró las más baja citotoxicidad (CC50= 9.82 ± 0.06 mg/mL) y la más alta  actividad antiviral (IC50= 0.56 ± 0.02 mg/mL), con el mayor índice de selectividad de 17.5. Los extractos de chile Ancho y Guajillo mostraron también una alta capacidad antiviral. El extracto de chile Habanero presentó la mayor citotoxicidad y el menor índice de selectividad. Los compuestos fenólicos contenidos en los extractos también mostraron actividad antiviral, lo que sugiere que pueden ser estos compuestos los responsables de la actividad antiviral de los chiles.Palabras clave: Capsicum spp, citotoxicidad, actividad antiviral, compuestos fenólicos.

Does the Presence of Foreign Investors Affect Financial Reporting Quality in Philippine Publicly Listed Firms?

Reinstate accounting conservatism in the Conceptual Framework – Our findings should be of interest to accounting standard setters, given the ongoing debate on the necessity for accounting conservatism as a characteristic for useful financial statements after its initial removal from the conceptual framework in 2010. While there are arguments that conservatism violates the neutrality of financial reports, further discussions show that conservatism can give a more faithful representation of firm performance (Cooper, 2015; International Accounting Standards Board, 2018)

Imidazolium-tagged glycan probes for non-covalent labeling of live cells

The use imidazolium tagged-mannosamine derivative for the non-covalent, rapid and site-specific labeling of sialic acid containing glycoproteins using commercialN-nitrilotriacetate fluorescent reagents in a range of live cells is reported.</p

O problema da evasão universitária: um desafio à democratização do ensino superior público/ The problem of university dropot: a challenge to the democratization of public higher education

Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar o problema da evasão como um desafio para a promoção da democratização do ensino superior público. Numa visão histórica da educação brasileira, pode-se verificar que a educação superior sempre foi privilégio da elite. Com o objetivo de mudar essa situação, democratizando assim o ensino superior público para todas as camadas sociais, o Governo Lula criou programas de expansão, como o Programa Expandir e o REUNI. Porém, tais programas ainda são insuficientes, considerando o total da população brasileira que possui graduação. A importância do estudo da evasão como um obstáculo para a democratização do ensino reside na possibilidade de elaboração de propostas que, ao minimizar a evasão, indiretamente contribuam para a democratização do ensino superior. Diante da complexidade do assunto, decidiu-se primeiramente fazer um levantamento da bibliografia acadêmica referente aos temas da democratização e da evasão, para depois então fazer uma busca sobre uma possível relação entre esses dois fenômenos. A metodologia consistiu em pesquisa bibliográfica. Como resultado, entende-se que o combate à evasão é necessário para se alcançar a democratização do ensino superior em seu sentido total - a ampliação da oferta de vagas, mais a garantia de apoio ao aluno para que ele consiga concluir o curso de graduação no qual ingressou. Ainda, entende-se que em que pese os esforços do Governo por meio do Expandir, do REUNI e do PNAES, ainda há um longo caminho a ser percorrido para que a democratização do ensino superior seja uma realidade no Brasil.

O problema da evasão universitária no sistema público de ensino superior: uma proposta de ação com base na atuação de uma equipe multidisciplinar / The problem of university dropout in the public system highereducation: a proposal for action based on the acting of a multidisciplinary team

A evasão universitária é um fenômeno complexo, no qual várias causas podem incidir isolada ou conjuntamente. Em face disso, o trabalho de uma equipe multidisciplinar é de grande importância para a redução dos casos de evasão. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi mapear diferentes causas de evasão em cursos universitários e averiguar a necessidade de instituições de ensino superior público possuírem equipes multidisciplinares para lidar com esse fenômeno. Foi realizado nesse artigo um levantamento bibliográfico para se estabelecer causas de evasão universitária, levantamento esse que considerou, dentre outros, os trabalhos de autores como Adachi, Bordieu, Paredes e Bizaus. Foi analisada ainda a importância da equipe multidisciplinar no combate à evasão. Foram identificados como causas de evasão diversos fatores, que vão desde questões internas às instituições (como a composição curricular e a falta de um programa de combate à evasão) como questões ligadas exclusivamente aos alunos (como opção pelo trabalho e a escolha inadequada de curso). Destacou-se a importância das instituições contarem com profissionais de diferentes áreas de formação, de maneira a terem condições de combater diferentes causas de evasão. Conclui-se que invariavelmente o combate à evasão exige a atuação de uma equipe capaz de mapear as causas do fenômeno e de adotar as medidas necessárias para o combate ao problema