INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION IN BANKS - KEY ELEMENTS OF THE INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM – AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS BETWEEN ROMANIAN, AMERICAN AND CANADIAN MODELS OF CONTROL

The purpose of this paper is to focus on one of the most important aspect of the internal control in banking system – information and communication - trying to identify on which of the two well-known international models of control (COSO or CoCo) iInformation, Communication, COSO model, CoCo model, Romanian framework

MEASURING AND ASSESSMENT OF INTERNAL AUDIT’S EFFECTIVENESS

The evolution of internal auditing in the last period was a very dynamic one, being affected by the increasing attention for its role in corporate governance, especially because of its links with internal control and risk management systems. Internal audivalue added, internal audit’s effectiveness, qualitative methods, quantitative methods, balanced scorecard

Karakterizacija strukture materijala kočionog diska

Kočioni disk predstavlja jedan od najvažnijih dijelova automobila sa stajališta sigurnosti. Stoga se na sastav i strukturu materijala od kojih su diskovi izrađeni postavljaju strogi zahtjevi. U ovom radu potrebno je napraviti kvalitativnu i kvantitativnu analizu mikrostrukture materijala diska, te ispitivanje osnovnih mehaničkih svojstava. U eksperimentalnom dijelu rada potrebno je nabaviti korišteni disk, izrezati dijelove diska za analizu, te napraviti i analizirati strukturu materijala na karakterističnim mjestima. Također je potrebno ispitati i osnovna mehanička svojstva analiziranog diska na unaprijed definiranim mjestima. Dobivene rezultate laboratorijskih ispitivanja potrebno je obraditi i na temelju njih donijeti određene zaključke. U radu je potrebno navesti korištenu literaturu i eventualno dobivenu pomoć

Bayesian analysis of the role of metacognition in cognitive control

Metacognitive theories of hypnotic responding, such as the cold-control theory, assert that people engage in strategies to create the experience requested by a suggestion (e.g., percept of something that is not present). This act is accompanied with the feeling of involuntariness due to a disrupted metacognition that makes suggestible people (highs) unaware of their intention to be engaged in the strategy. The presented research investigated predictions drawn from the cold-control theory focusing on the claim that hypnotic suggestions should not provide highs with any special abilities, since hypnotic responses are implemented by traditional cognitive control processes. In several experiments, the word-blindness suggestion (suggestion to see meaningless words in the Stroop task) was applied. The suggestion halves the extent of the Stroop interference when it is given to highs, posing a challenge to the metacognitive account of hypnosis and so providing a unique opportunity to test its assumptions. In addition, as the experimental usage of hypnosis requires offline screening to identify potential participants, I investigated whether it is possible to conduct the screening online to ease the costs of recruitment. Throughout this thesis, the Bayes factor was applied for hypothesis-testing. In the last chapter, a case with a 2x2 design (a design that was frequently used in this thesis) is presented to demonstrate how Bayes factors with cut-offs of good enough evidence relate to the old inferential mistake of the neglect of the test of interaction. This thesis presents empirical evidence that responses to the word-blindness suggestion are not produced by the disruption of reading. First, the extent of the effect is influenced by the proportion of incongruent Stroop trials of the experimental blocks implying that the suggestion alleviates response competition whereas it does not de-automatise reading. Second, when highs are asked to use simple visual strategies, such as blurring and looking-away, to reduce the Stroop interference, the pattern of results produced by the strategies are not in harmony with those of the word-blindness suggestion deeming it unlikely that highs use these strategies when they respond to the suggestion. This thesis also examines whether a voluntary act to imagine meaningless words is sufficient to reduce the Stroop interference. Consistent with the core idea of cold control theory, we found a positive correlation between the extent to which highs reduced interference in the volitional request and in the suggestion conditions. Nonetheless, the current strength of evidence is not good enough to conclude whether or not voluntary and hypnotic responses can reduce the interference to the same extent. The experiment comparing offline and online hypnotic screening demonstrated evidence supporting the notion that hypnotic suggestibility (measured via the SWASH) can be assessed online. Finally, different scenarios of a case study were presented to help researchers develop the right intuition on the issue of why Bayesian evidence for H1 in one group and Bayesian evidence for H0 in another group does not mean Bayesian evidence for the difference between the two by itself

From demon to god : the evolution of the vampire in literature.

Includes bibliographical references.Vampires may be centuries-old mythological creatures, but depictions thereof abound in our modern society in literature, film, and television. The prevalence of the vampire is related to its enormous symbolic power to reflect socio-cultural conditions of society at the time of its creation, which not only determines how the vampire figure has changed within modern literary history, but also makes it possible to pinpoint certain social conditions influencing this change. The aspects of religion and capitalism, and, directly associated with this, consumerism, emerge as particularly relevant when analysing the changes of the fictional vampire, as they are both effective measures of socio-cultural circumstances and have been associated with the vampire figure - in terms of its creation, nature, and specific characteristics - in the history of mythology and literature. It is through tracing the themes of religion and capitalism within primary vampire texts at key moments in history that a greater understanding of how and why the vampire figure has changed may be gained

Using cancer risk algorithms to improve risk estimates and referral decisions

Background: Cancer risk algorithms were introduced to clinical practice in the last decade, but they remain underused. We investigated whether General Practitioners (GPs) change their referral decisions in response to an unnamed algorithm, if decisions improve, and if changing decisions depends on having information about the algorithm and on whether GPs overestimated or underestimated risk. Methods: 157 UK GPs were presented with 20 vignettes describing patients with possible colorectal cancer symptoms. GPs gave their risk estimates and inclination to refer. They then saw the risk score of an unnamed algorithm and could update their responses. Half of the sample was given information about the algorithm’s derivation, validation, and accuracy. At the end, we measured their algorithm disposition. We analysed the data using multilevel regressions with random intercepts by GP and vignette. Results: We find that, after receiving the algorithm’s estimate, GPs’ inclination to refer changes 26% of the time and their decisions switch entirely 3% of the time. Decisions become more consistent with the NICE 3% referral threshold (OR 1.45 [1.27, 1.65], p < .001). The algorithm’s impact is greatest when GPs have underestimated risk. Information about the algorithm does not have a discernible effect on decisions but it results in a more positive GP disposition towards the algorithm. GPs’ risk estimates become better calibrated over time, i.e., move closer to the algorithm. Conclusions: Cancer risk algorithms have the potential to improve cancer referral decisions. Their use as learning tools to improve risk estimates is promising and should be further investigated

SADDLE GALL MIDGE Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser)

Tijekom proljeća 2018. godine na području Koprivničko‐križevačke županije zabilježena su na pojedinim parcelama oštećenja usjeva ozime pšenice (Triticum aestivum L.) od sedlaste mušice šiškarice Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). U radu je ukratko opisan štetnik, njegova rasprostranjenost, životni ciklus i mjere zaštite. Trenutno u Republici Hrvatskoj ne postoji pripravak registriran za suzbijanje ovog štetnika pa su preventivne mjere i monitoring od velike važnosti.During the spring of 2018 in the area of Koprivnica ‐ Križevci County, larger damages of winter wheat crops (Triticum aestivum L.) were observed on saddle gall midge Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). The paper describes briefly the pest, its distribution, life cycle and Protection measures. At present there is no preparat in the Republic of Croatia registered for the suppression of this pest, so preventive measures and monitoring are of great importance

Life Predicted in a Probabilistic Design Space for Brittle Materials With Transient Loads

Analytical techniques have progressively become more sophisticated, and now we can consider the probabilistic nature of the entire space of random input variables on the lifetime reliability of brittle structures. This was demonstrated with NASA s CARES/Life (Ceramic Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures/Life) code combined with the commercially available ANSYS/Probabilistic Design System (ANSYS/PDS), a probabilistic analysis tool that is an integral part of the ANSYS finite-element analysis program. ANSYS/PDS allows probabilistic loads, component geometry, and material properties to be considered in the finite-element analysis. CARES/Life predicts the time dependent probability of failure of brittle material structures under generalized thermomechanical loading--such as that found in a turbine engine hot-section. Glenn researchers coupled ANSYS/PDS with CARES/Life to assess the effects of the stochastic variables of component geometry, loading, and material properties on the predicted life of the component for fully transient thermomechanical loading and cyclic loading