Methods of Assessing the Level of Market Capitalization of Joint-Stock Companies: Economic and Managerial Aspect

Introduction. Effective assessment of the market capitalization of public joint-stock companies is an important strategic aspect that determines the level of corporate governance, competitiveness of manufactured goods or services, investment attractiveness, publicity, and transparency of the company in the stock market. In this regard, there is a need to study the advantages of various methods of market capitalization assessment, which will ensure not only the determination of the effectiveness of the corporate and financial activities of domestic joint-stock companies but also the investment value at the state level, ensuring the strategic necessity of satisfying social needs. Aim and tasks. It consists in researching current methods of assessing the market capitalization of public joint-stock companies and proposing new ones for the purpose of a more comprehensive analysis of the company's activity at the stock market. Results. The peculiarity of legal management and regulation of the market capitalization of Ukrainian public joint-stock companies is determined; the methods of assessing the market capitalization of joint-stock companies and the goals set by the entities that apply it in the evaluation are distinguished, namely: the method of the current market value of a public joint-stock company, the method of the average market value of a joint-stock company and the method of the maximum market capitalization of a joint-stock company. Ensuring the legality of market capitalization assessment, was carried out. A factor method of market capitalization assessment and a comparative method have been developed for the purpose of a more thorough assessment. It consists in presenting the author's approach to assessing the level of market capitalization through the use of comparative and factor approaches, which include not only an assessment of the market position of a joint-stock company at the stock market, but also individual balance indicators at the beginning of various reporting periods, establishing transparency and competitiveness. Conclusions. The proposed research results will be useful for a comprehensive assessment of not only the financial, stock and marketing strategy of a public joint-stock company at the stock market, but to ensure its own competitiveness, liquidity and investment attractiveness, take into account factors affecting the comprehensive business, investment and financial position of a joint-stock company

Web design for effective online training and instruction.

The following is a research/experimental thesis that surveys and examines web-design for effective online training and instruction. The purpose of the thesis is to create -- from a variety of relevant learning theories and practical web-design strategies advocated in the research literature -- a Web-based instruction checklist that can be used to develop and assess online instructional materials. This checklist, referred to as WeBIC, is structured around the common ISD processes of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation, with a focus on ‘Web Usability’ and ‘the Five Ps’ of preparation, presentation, participation, practice and performance. To determine the usefulness of WeBIC as a design and evaluation tool, three studies have been generated: (1) an experimental comparison study of online instructional materials in two formats -- a web-study one that follows guidelines and strategies outlined by WeBIC, and the other that follows a text-only format based on a modified form of thesis writing guidelines; (2) an analysis study of server data related to website access and instructional activity at ESLenglish.com and during the comparison study; and (3) an evaluation study of the instructional materials used in the comparison study and the instructional materials available at ESLenglish.com. The comparison study showed 2.1% learning gains that under closer analysis were found to be non-significant. The server analysis study confirmed the importance of designing for ‘speed of access’ and ‘navigation ease.’ It also brought into question the reliability of web mining data and the need for proper operational definitions. The evaluation study produced WeBIC scores for ESLenglish.com and the comparison study learning materials that could be used as benchmarks for further research

ОЦЕНКА СПЕЦИФИЧЕСКИХ АНТИГЕНОВ РАННЕЙ СТАДИИ ТУБЕРКУЛЕЗНОЙ ИНФЕКЦИИ У ДЕТЕЙ

More specific antigens are still being searched for in order to increase informativeness of techniques for early diagnostics of tuberculous infection. Aimed at the investigation of proteins of tuberculous mycobacteria (PPD-L, ESAT 6, 85, hybrid of ЕSAT 6 CFP 10, CFP32B, Rv2660c) the study was conducted including testing of induced IFN-γ in the children ill with tuberculosis in the early period of primary tuberculous infection and also those not infected with tuberculous mycobacteria – 130 children in the age from 6.0 ± 0.4 years old. It was found out that tuberculin remained to be valuable for evaluation of the intensity of anti-tuberculosis immunity. Antigens of ESAT 6, 85, CFP32B, Rv2660c were identified as proteins of the early stage of tuberculous infection. The presence of response when stimulating by the above antigens was typical of the favorable course of tuberculosis. Antigens of ESAT 6 and Rv2660c were valuable for assessment of latent tuberculous infections and the hybrid of ЕSAT 6 CFP 10 – for diagnostics of tuberculosis. Therefore introduction of immunological tests (in vitro) into the set of diagnostic tools allows optimizing the early diagnostics of tuberculous infection in children and forecasting the course of the disease when tuberculosis has developed.Для повышения информативности методов ранней диагностики туберкулезной инфекции продолжаются поиски более специфичных антигенов. С целью оценки белков микобактерий туберкулеза (МБТ) (ППД-Л, ESAT 6, 85, гибрид ЕSAT 6 CFP 10, CFP32B, Rv2660c) проведено исследование, включающее определение индуцированного ИФН-γ у детей, больных туберкулезом, в раннем периоде первичной туберкулезной инфекции, а также не инфицированных МБТ - 130 детей в возрасте 6,0 ± 0,4 года. Установили, что туберкулин сохранил свою значимость для оценки напряженности противотуберкулезного иммунитета. Антигены ESAT 6, 85, CFP32B, Rv2660c определили как белки ранней стадии туберкулезной инфекции. Сохранение ответа при стимуляции данными антигенами у больных характеризовало благоприятное течение туберкулеза. Антигены ESAT 6 и Rv2660c являлись значимыми в оценке латентной туберкулезной инфекции, а гибрид ЕSAT 6 CFP 10 - в диагностике туберкулеза. Поэтому включение иммунологических тестов (in vitro) в комплекс диагностических мероприятий позволит оптимизировать раннюю диагностику туберкулезной инфекции у детей, а при развитии туберкулеза - прогнозировать его течение

Use of NON-PARAMETRIC Item Response Theory to develop a shortened version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nonparametric item response theory (IRT) was used to examine (a) the performance of the 30 Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) items and their options ((levels of severity), (b) the effectiveness of various subscales to discriminate among differences in symptom severity, and (c) the development of an abbreviated PANSS (Mini-PANSS) based on IRT and a method to link scores to the original PANSS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Baseline PANSS scores from 7,187 patients with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder who were enrolled between 1995 and 2005 in psychopharmacology trials were obtained. Option characteristic curves (OCCs) and Item Characteristic Curves (ICCs) were constructed to examine the probability of rating each of seven options within each of 30 PANSS items as a function of subscale severity, and summed-score linking was applied to items selected for the Mini-PANSS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The majority of items forming the Positive and Negative subscales (i.e. 19 items) performed very well and discriminate better along symptom severity compared to the General Psychopathology subscale. Six of the seven Positive Symptom items, six of the seven Negative Symptom items, and seven out of the 16 General Psychopathology items were retained for inclusion in the Mini-PANSS. Summed score linking and linear interpolation was able to produce a translation table for comparing total subscale scores of the Mini-PANSS to total subscale scores on the original PANSS. Results show scores on the subscales of the Mini-PANSS can be linked to scores on the original PANSS subscales, with very little bias.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The study demonstrated the utility of non-parametric IRT in examining the item properties of the PANSS and to allow selection of items for an abbreviated PANSS scale. The comparisons between the 30-item PANSS and the Mini-PANSS revealed that the shorter version is comparable to the 30-item PANSS, but when applying IRT, the Mini-PANSS is also a good indicator of illness severity.</p

Příprava uniformních superparamagnetických částic s polymerním povlakem pro biomedicínské aplikace

Cílem této práce bylo navrhnout a připravit polymerem pokryté monodisperzní Fe3O4 nanočástice jako bezpečné a netoxické kontrastní činidlo pro magnetické rezonanční zobrazení a mediátor pro hypertermii. Uniformní superparamagnetické Fe3O4 nanočástice byly syntetizovány teplotním rozkladem oleátu, mandelátu a glukuronátu železitého ve vysokovroucích rozpouštědlech při teplotách >285 řC. Velikost částic byla regulována v rozmezí 8-27 nm změnou reakčních parametrů, např. teplotou, typem organického prekurzoru a koncentrací stabilizátoru (olejové kyseliny a/nebo oleylaminu) tak, aby byla zachována uniformita nanočástic. Částice připravené teplotním rozkladem obsahovaly hydrofobní stabilizátor a byly proto dispergovatelné pouze v organických rozpouštědlech. Aby byly dispergovatelné ve vodě, byla olejová kyselina na poverchu částic nahrazena hydrofilním a biokompatibilním methoxy-poly(ethylenglykolem) (PEG) and poly(3-O- methakryloyl-α-D-glukopyranosou) pomocí metody výměny ligandů. Navázání obou polymerů k atomům železa na povrchu nanočástic bylo dosaženo díky vhodným koncovým skupinám (hydroxamovým nebo fosfonovým). Fe3O4 nanočástice byly také hydrofilizovány enkapsulací do siliky, hydrolýzou tetramethyl ortoxysilikátu, tzv. reverzní mikroemulzní metodou. Takto připravené Fe3O4@SiO2 nanočástice byly...Aim of this thesis was to design and prepare polymer-coated monodisperse Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a safe and non-toxic contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and heat mediator for hyperthermia. Uniform superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal decomposition of Fe(III) oleate, mandelate, or glucuronate in high- boiling solvents at temperature >285 řC. Size of the particles was controlled in the range of 8- 27 nm by changing reaction parameters, i.e., temperature, type of iron precursor, and concentration of stabilizer (oleic acid and/or oleylamine), while preserving uniformity of the nanoparticles. Because particles contained hydrophobic stabilizer on the surface, they were dispersible only in organic solvents. To ensure water dispersibility, oleic acid on the particle surface was replaced by hydrophilic and biocompatible methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(3-O-methacryloyl-α-D-glucopyranose) by ligand exchange. Polymers were previously terminated with anchoring-end groups (hydroxamic or phosphonic) to provide firm bonding to iron atoms on the particle surface. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were also hydrophilized by encapsulation into a silica shell by reverse microemulsion method. Tetramethyl orthosilicate was used to prepare Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles, which were...Katedra fyzikální a makromol. chemieDepartment of Physical and Macromolecular ChemistryPřírodovědecká fakultaFaculty of Scienc

Preparation of uniform superparamagnetic particles with polymer coating for biomedical applications

Aim of this thesis was to design and prepare polymer-coated monodisperse Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a safe and non-toxic contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and heat mediator for hyperthermia. Uniform superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal decomposition of Fe(III) oleate, mandelate, or glucuronate in high- boiling solvents at temperature >285 řC. Size of the particles was controlled in the range of 8- 27 nm by changing reaction parameters, i.e., temperature, type of iron precursor, and concentration of stabilizer (oleic acid and/or oleylamine), while preserving uniformity of the nanoparticles. Because particles contained hydrophobic stabilizer on the surface, they were dispersible only in organic solvents. To ensure water dispersibility, oleic acid on the particle surface was replaced by hydrophilic and biocompatible methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(3-O-methacryloyl-α-D-glucopyranose) by ligand exchange. Polymers were previously terminated with anchoring-end groups (hydroxamic or phosphonic) to provide firm bonding to iron atoms on the particle surface. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were also hydrophilized by encapsulation into a silica shell by reverse microemulsion method. Tetramethyl orthosilicate was used to prepare Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles, which were..

A comparison of item parameter estimates and ICCs produced with TESTGRAF and BILOG under different test lengths and sample sizes.

There are many procedures used to estimate IRT parameters; however, among the most popular techniques are those used in the LOGIST and BILOG computer programs. LOGIST requires large numbers of examinees and items (in the order of 1000 or more examinees and 40 or more items) for stable 3PL model parameter estimates. BILOG is a more recent estimation program and, in general, requires smaller numbers of examinees and items than LOGIST for stable 3PL model parameter estimates. It also has been found that, regardless of sample size and test length, BILOG estimates tend to be uniformly more or at least as accurate as LOGIST estimates. For this reason, BILOG is now used as the standard to which new estimation programs are compared. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of varying sample size (N = 100, 250, 500, and 1000) and test length (20- and 40-item tests) on the accuracy and consistency of 3PL model item parameter estimates and ICCs obtained from TESTGRAF and BILOG. Overall, TESTGRAF seemed to perform better or just as well as BILOG. Where large bias effect sizes existed, in all but one case, TESTGRAF was more accurate than BILOG. TESTGRAF was slightly less accurate than BILOG in estimating the $P(\theta$)'s at high ability levels. Where large efficiency effect sizes existed, in all but two cases, TESTGRAF was more consistent than BILOG. TESTGRAF was slightly less consistent than BILOG in estimating the a parameter with a sample size of 1000 and in estimating the c parameter at all sample sizes. (Abstract shortened by UMI.

A comparison of computerized adaptive testing and multistage testing

There is considerable evidence to show that computerized-adaptive testing (CAT) and multi-stage testing (MST) are viable frameworks for testing. With many testing organizations looking to move towards CAT or MST, it is important to know what framework is superior in different situations and at what cost in terms of measurement. What was needed is a comparison of the different testing procedures under various realistic testing conditions. This dissertation addressed the important problem of the increase or decrease in accuracy of ability estimation in using MST rather than CAT. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of ability estimates produced by MST and CAT while keeping some variables fixed and varying others. A simulation study was conducted to investigate the effects of several factors on the accuracy of ability estimation using different CAT and MST designs. The factors that were manipulated are the number of stages, the number of subtests per stage, and the number of items per subtest. Kept constant were test length, distribution of subtest information, method of determining cut-points on subtests, amount of overlap between subtests, and method of scoring total test. The primary question of interest was, given a fixed test length, how many stages and many subtests per stage should there be to maximize measurement precision? Furthermore, how many items should there be in each subtest? Should there be more in the routing test or should there be more in the higher stage tests? Results showed that, in general, increasing the number of stages from two to three decreased the amount of errors in ability estimation. Increasing the number of subtests from three to five increased the accuracy of ability estimates as well as the efficiency of the MST designs relative to the P&P and CAT designs at most ability levels (–.75 to 2.25). Finally, at most ability levels (–.75 to 2.25), varying the number of items per stage had little effect on either the resulting accuracy of ability estimates or the relative efficiency of the MST designs to the P&P and CAT designs

Mental model processes in working memory : implications for usability design.

Grounded in cognitive load theory, levels of processing theory, the facets of WM framework, and dual-process research, this thesis proposes two theoretical propositions related to mental model production in WM and encoding to LTM. The first proposition, "structure processing," posits a domain-general goal-oriented chunking mechanism that facilitates the coordination of associations made into coherent structures in WM to improve performance and retention. The second proposition of "singularity," posits that information processing in WM is directed towards creating a single coherent and parsimonious episodic model that exerts a low cognitive load. To test these propositions, two studies were conducted to investigate navigation performance and retention of a variety of simple and complex Web-based menus treated with structured or unstructured design. The proposition of singularity was assessed in an analysis of pauses during a menu recall task to estimate the number of chunks needed to recall a menu. Participants were also tested for cognitive abilities necessary for coordination, storage, and supervision. Findings provided strong support that structured design improved menu performance and retention, with weak to moderate correlations with coordination. A strong correlation between retention and number of chunks needed to recall a menu was also found.Doctor of Philosophy (SCI