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Sample records for retrievel mwrret value-added

  1. THE INFLUENCE OF ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED AND MARKET VALUE ADDED ON CORPORATE VALUE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taslim F.A.

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to determine the influence of economic value added and market value added on corporate value of manufacturing companies on sector consumer goods industry listed in Indonesia Stock Exchanges of 2011-2014. The sample of this research was 10 manufacturing companies on sector consumer goods industry listed in Indonesia Stock Exchanges. The method used was purposive sampling technique. This research used confirmatory factor analysis to form a combined proxy of corporate value comprised price earning ratio, price to book value and Tobin's Q.

  2. THE EFFECT OF LEVERAGE AND ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED ON MARKET VALUE ADDED

    OpenAIRE

    Kristína Jančovičová BOGNÁROVÁ

    2018-01-01

    Economic value added (EVA) is a performance measure developed by Stern Stewart & Co.) that attempts to measure the true economic profit produced by a company. Such a metric is useful for investors who wish to determine how well a company has produced value for its investors, and it can be compared against the company's peers for a quick analysis of how well the company is operating in its industry. Market value added (MVA), on the other hand, is simply the difference between the c...

  3. Myths & Facts about Value-Added Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    TNTP, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents myths as well as facts about value-added analysis. These myths include: (1) "Value-added isn't fair to teachers who work in high-need schools, where students tend to lag far behind academically"; (2) "Value-added scores are too volatile from year-to-year to be trusted"; (3) "There's no research behind value-added"; (4) "Using…

  4. Perbedaan Perusahan Pencipta Economic Value Added Positif Dengan Economic Value Added Negatif

    OpenAIRE

    Suripto, Suripto

    2008-01-01

    This research was to explain and analyze the different variable of Inflation Rate,Exchange Rate, Interest Rate, Ratio Plant Asset, Size Measure Company, Profitability, Growth ,LD / E, TD / TA, Stock of Return, Book To Market between company having Economic ValueAdded ( Positive ) and company having Economic Value Added ( Negative ). Analysis which wasused in this research was multivariate analysis of variant (MANOVA). There was different variableof Inflation Rate, Exchange Rate, Interest Rate...

  5. ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED AND MARKET VALUE ADDED - MODERN INDICATORS FOR ASSESSMENT THE FIRM’S VALUE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    NICOLAE SICHIGEA

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The financial theory developed different categories of indicators - traditional and modern - in order to evaluate the firm’s value creation. The shareholders are directly interested by the value added in the company. The value creation is a complex process that implies correct decisions, common responsibility (managers and shareholders and actions towards an efficient and profitable activity. The traditional indicators of performance are not teoritically correlated with the the value creation and in these circumstances, should be used appropriate financial indicators in order to reflect the value of the company. Therefore, the modern indicators used in the value based management framework offer a greater flexibility and efficiency and represent a good alternative for companies. Such performance indicators used to measure the financial results correlated with shareholder wealth are the Economic Value Added (EVA, as a measure of internal performance and the Market Value Added (MVA as a measure of external performance of the company. Starting from the main deficiencies of the accounting indicators, the objective of this this study is to present the relationship between EVA and MVA and their implications on firms’valuation. Thus, the presentation and analysis of these indicators – EVA and MVA - will underline the main features, their correlations, and influence factors but also the main advantage and disadvantage of each indicator, which will enable the managers to make the correct choice and subsequently the best decision regarding the performance measures.

  6. Facilities Management and Added Value

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker

    2010-01-01

    Aim: This paper aims to present different models of the concept of the added value of Facilities Management (FM), including the FM Value Map, which forms the basis of research group in EuroFM, and to present some of the results of this research collaboration. Approach and methodology: The paper...... is based on literature reviews of the most influential journals within the academic fields of FM, Corporate Real Estate Management and Business to Business Marketing and discussions between participants of the research group working on a further exploration and testing of the FM Value Map. Conclusions......: The research shows a number of different definitions and focus points of Added Value of FM, dependent on the academic field and the area of application. The different research perspectives explored a holistic view on the added value of FM by the integration of an external market based view (with a focus...

  7. Realizing "value-added" metrology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunday, Benjamin; Lipscomb, Pete; Allgair, John; Patel, Dilip; Caldwell, Mark; Solecky, Eric; Archie, Chas; Morningstar, Jennifer; Rice, Bryan J.; Singh, Bhanwar; Cain, Jason; Emami, Iraj; Banke, Bill, Jr.; Herrera, Alfredo; Ukraintsev, Vladamir; Schlessinger, Jerry; Ritchison, Jeff

    2007-03-01

    The conventional premise that metrology is a "non-value-added necessary evil" is a misleading and dangerous assertion, which must be viewed as obsolete thinking. Many metrology applications are key enablers to traditionally labeled "value-added" processing steps in lithography and etch, such that they can be considered integral parts of the processes. Various key trends in modern, state-of-the-art processing such as optical proximity correction (OPC), design for manufacturability (DFM), and advanced process control (APC) are based, at their hearts, on the assumption of fine-tuned metrology, in terms of uncertainty and accuracy. These trends are vehicles where metrology thus has large opportunities to create value through the engineering of tight and targetable process distributions. Such distributions make possible predictability in speed-sorts and in other parameters, which results in high-end product. Additionally, significant reliance has also been placed on defect metrology to predict, improve, and reduce yield variability. The necessary quality metrology is strongly influenced by not only the choice of equipment, but also the quality application of these tools in a production environment. The ultimate value added by metrology is a result of quality tools run by a quality metrology team using quality practices. This paper will explore the relationships among present and future trends and challenges in metrology, including equipment, key applications, and metrology deployment in the manufacturing flow. Of key importance are metrology personnel, with their expertise, practices, and metrics in achieving and maintaining the required level of metrology performance, including where precision, matching, and accuracy fit into these considerations. The value of metrology will be demonstrated to have shifted to "key enabler of large revenues," debunking the out-of-date premise that metrology is "non-value-added." Examples used will be from critical dimension (CD

  8. Value adding management: A concept and a case

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; Katchamart, Akarapong

    2012-01-01

    be used more directly and proactively by facilities managers to implement adding value strategies and practices. Methodology: The development of the concept of Value Adding Management is based on the management model for FM included in the European FM standards, recent theories on added value of FM...... practice value adding management. It underlines the importance of stakeholder and relationship management as part of adding value. The case study confirms the relevance of the basic concept of Value Adding Management. Practical implications: The concept of Value Adding Management is expected to increase......Purpose: To develop a management concept that can assist facilities managers in implementing value adding strategies and practices. The FM Value Map has been developed to analyse and demonstrate the different ways FM can add value. However, there is a need to develop management tools that can...

  9. Microbial production of value-added nutraceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jian; Guleria, Sanjay; Koffas, Mattheos Ag; Yan, Yajun

    2016-02-01

    Nutraceuticals are important natural bioactive compounds that confer health-promoting and medical benefits to humans. Globally growing demands for value-added nutraceuticals for prevention and treatment of human diseases have rendered nutraceuticals a multi-billion dollar market. However, supply limitations and extraction difficulties from natural sources such as plants, animals or fungi, restrict the large-scale use of nutraceuticals. Metabolic engineering via microbial production platforms has been advanced as an eco-friendly alternative approach for production of value-added nutraceuticals from simple carbon sources. Microbial platforms like the most widely used Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been engineered as versatile cell factories for production of diverse and complex value-added chemicals such as phytochemicals, prebiotics, polysaccaharides and poly amino acids. This review highlights the recent progresses in biological production of value-added nutraceuticals via metabolic engineering approaches. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The contribution of technology to added value

    CERN Document Server

    Fernandes, António S C

    2013-01-01

    There is a wide consensus that introduction of technology to the production process contributes to an overall economic value, however, confusion between technology, knowledge and capital often makes value calculations ambiguous and non-objective. The Contribution of Technology to Added Value addresses not only this issue of definition but also provides a production model to assess the value contribution of technology within the production process. A clarification  of fundamental semantics  provides a significant taxonomy for technology dependence, and allows understanding and modeling of how knowledge, technology and capital individually contribute to production and to value adding. A new technology dependence taxonomy is proposed and assessed following chapters explaining growth models, the KTC model and technology index values. Balancing theoretical knowledge with real-world data and applications The Contribution of Technology to Added Value clarifies the issue of value adding for a range of different vie...

  11. Pengukuran Kinerja Perusahaan Melalui Economic Value Added (Eva) Dan (Mva) Market Value

    OpenAIRE

    Andhaniwati, Erry

    2011-01-01

    Performance corporating to constitute one of prescriptive factor gets on descent of stock price because firm performance constitute to refuse fathom for investor deeping to determine stock bid price. Economic Value Added, and Market Value Added are umpteen corporate performance grader that can be utilized by investor in assesses how well firm performance. Therefore to the effect this research is subject to be analyse influence among Economic Value Added , and Market Value Added to stock pr...

  12. Value Adding Management: A New Facilities Management Concept

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; Katchamart, Akarapong

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate how Facilities Management (FM) can add value and develop a management concept that can assist facilities managers in implementing value adding strategies and practices. Theory: The study is based on the management model for FM included in the European FM standards, recent...... is investigated, tested and discussed based on a case study of an international corporation. Findings: The study shows that the management model for FM creates a relevant starting point but also that stakeholder and relationship management is an essential aspect of Value Adding Management. The case study confirms...... the relevance of the basic concept and provides an important example of how Value Adding Management can be implemented and added value measured. Originality/value: The study develops a concept of Value Adding Management, which is new in FM literature. It is expected to increase the awareness of the impacts...

  13. Economic value added or earnings: What explains market value in Indian firms?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nufazil Altaf

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to empirically test the claim made by Stern Stewart & Company that economic value added is a better metric that traditional earning based measures in explaining market value. For better exposition, a sample of 325 Indian firms has been divided into two parts- 170 firms belonging to Indian manufacturing companies and 155 companies belonging to the Indian service sector. After performing univariate and multivariate regression analyses, the results of the study reveal that the operating income has a strong linkage with market value added in both manufacturing and service sectors. For both the sectors, the economic value added shows weaker but positive relationship with the market value added.

  14. Evaluating Teachers: The Important Role of Value-Added

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glazerman, Steven; Loeb, Susanna; Goldhaber, Dan; Staiger, Douglas; Raudenbush, Stephen; Whitehurst, Grover

    2010-01-01

    The evaluation of teachers based on the contribution they make to the learning of their students, "value-added", is an increasingly popular but controversial education reform policy. In this report, the authors highlight and try to clarify four areas of confusion about value-added. The first is between value-added information and the…

  15. Implementation of Economic Value Added and Market Value Added Analysis as Valuation Tools of Invest Feasibility

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    Achmad Daengs GS

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available For the investors, financial statement is a benchmark of investors in assessing the company's performance. In fact, investors are not always receiving the accurate company's financial statements information and its levels of fairness are in doubt. The financial statement analysis with using financial ratios is not enough. The investors may need to use alternatives financial statement analyses techniques that reflect the actual company's performance. Therefore, both of the investors and the prospective can use Economic Value Added (EVA and Market Value Added (MVA analysis. With these technical analyses, the investors may know the company's performance where they are invested or to be used as a place to invest whether it has value added or not. With the results of these analyses, it is the expected for the investors to be more confident in making decision whether to buy, sell or hold the ownership in the company.

  16. Facilities Management and Value Adding - The LEGO case

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; Katchamart, Akarapong

    on the management model for FM included in the European FM standards, recent theories on added value of FM and real estate and the related concept of Value Management from building projects. The paper outlines a preliminary theoretical based management concept, which is investigated, tested and discussed based...... on a case study of LEGO. Results: The study shows that the management model for FM creates a relevant starting point but also that stakeholder and relationship management is an essential aspect of Value Adding Management. The case study confirms the relevance of the basic concept and provides an important...... example of how Value Adding Management can be implemented and added value measured. Practical Implications: The concept of Value Adding Management is expected to increase the awareness of the impacts and strategic importance of FM for organisations and can be a practical tool for facilities managers...

  17. The Value Relevance Of Value Added And Stakeholder Compensation Across Business Cultures

    OpenAIRE

    John Darcy

    2011-01-01

    This research performed a partial test of the instrumental validity of the stakeholder model by examining the value relevance of value added relative to income and the incremental value relevance of two stakeholder compensation components of value added, wages and interest for Japan, Germany, United States, and United Kingdom.

  18. THE EFFECT OF LEVERAGE AND ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED ON MARKET VALUE ADDED

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    Kristína Jančovičová BOGNÁROVÁ

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Economic value added (EVA is a performance measure developed by Stern Stewart & Co. that attempts to measure the true economic profit produced by a company. Such a metric is useful for investors who wish to determine how well a company has produced value for its investors, and it can be compared against the company's peers for a quick analysis of how well the company is operating in its industry. Market value added (MVA, on the other hand, is simply the difference between the current total market value of a company and the capital contributed by investors (including both shareholders and bondholders. It is typically used for companies that are larger and publicly-traded. MVA is not a performance metric like EVA, but instead is a wealth metric, measuring the level of value a company has accumulated over time. In order to maximise the value for shareholders, companies should strive towards maximising MVA and not necessarily their total market value. It is believed, that the best way to do so is to maximize EVA, which reflects a company’s ability to earn returns above the cost of capital. The leverage available to companies that incur fixed costs and use borrowed capital with a fixed interest charge has been known and quantified by financial managers for some time. In this research the effect of leverage and EVA on MVA as the measure of shareholder wealth creation was analysed. Leverage and EVA have been used as the independent variables whereas MVA has been used as the measure of shareholder wealth creation. Correlation and regression methods have been employed to find out in what way financial managers can practice the effects of leverage and EVA to maximize MVA. The results showed that EVA and leverage have no profound impact on MVA of the selected Slovak companies

  19. School system evaluation by value added analysis under endogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzi, Jorge; San Martín, Ernesto; Van Bellegem, Sébastien

    2014-01-01

    Value added is a common tool in educational research on effectiveness. It is often modeled as a (prediction of a) random effect in a specific hierarchical linear model. This paper shows that this modeling strategy is not valid when endogeneity is present. Endogeneity stems, for instance, from a correlation between the random effect in the hierarchical model and some of its covariates. This paper shows that this phenomenon is far from exceptional and can even be a generic problem when the covariates contain the prior score attainments, a typical situation in value added modeling. Starting from a general, model-free definition of value added, the paper derives an explicit expression of the value added in an endogeneous hierarchical linear Gaussian model. Inference on value added is proposed using an instrumental variable approach. The impact of endogeneity on the value added and the estimated value added is calculated accurately. This is also illustrated on a large data set of individual scores of about 200,000 students in Chile.

  20. Value management program: performance, quantification, and presentation of imaging value-added actions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Samir

    2015-03-01

    Health care is in a state of transition, shifting from volume-based success to value-based success. Hospital executives and referring physicians often do not understand the total value a radiology group provides. A template for easy, cost-effective implementation in clinical practice for most radiology groups to demonstrate the value they provide to their clients (patients, physicians, health care executives) has not been well described. A value management program was developed to document all of the value-added activities performed by on-site radiologists, quantify them in terms of time spent on each activity (investment), and present the benefits to internal and external stakeholders (outcomes). The radiology value-added matrix is the platform from which value-added activities are categorized and synthesized into a template for defining investments and outcomes. The value management program was first implemented systemwide in 2013. Across all serviced locations, 9,931.75 hours were invested. An annual executive summary report template demonstrating outcomes is given to clients. The mean and median individual value-added hours per radiologist were 134.52 and 113.33, respectively. If this program were extrapolated to the entire field of radiology, approximately 30,000 radiologists, this would have resulted in 10,641,161 uncompensated value-added hours documented in 2013, with an estimated economic value of $2.21 billion. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Value added tax-theoretical and practical aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raičević Božidar B.

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Value added tax has been applied for four decades now and as a novelty it has already worn off both in theory and practice. It has indisputable advantages and relatively minor shortcomings compared to other forms of consumption taxation. Today it is one of the most widely used form of consumption tax in the world, being levied in about 120 countries accounting for around 70 per cent of the world population, including all European countries except Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Federation and the Republic of Srpska. The burden of value added tax is visible at each stage in the production and distribution chain, thus eliminating taxation accumulation and is borne ultimately by the final consumer of final goods and services in the consuming country. The consumption type is a dominant type of value added tax. It ensures that the fixed and current assets purchases are exempt from VAT, and as such, it encourages technological progress and investment. By applying the country of destination principle (VAT is chargeable in the country where the goods or services are consumed - exports are exempt from tax while imports are taxed, value added tax eliminates double taxation and retains tax sovereignty of the importing country. In the last ten years there have been attempts to introduce value added tax in Serbia. The introduction of value added tax is the condition for the accession to the EU and we should expect that the latest attempt to introduce this tax in the Serbia taxation system will be successful. Namely, VAT Act is expected to be passed during 2004 and enforced as of January 1, 2005.

  2. Value added medicines: what value repurposed medicines might bring to society?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toumi, Mondher; Rémuzat, Cécile

    2017-01-01

    Background & objectives : Despite the wide interest surrounding drug repurposing, no common terminology has been yet agreed for these products and their full potential value is not always recognised and rewarded, creating a disincentive for further development. The objectives of the present study were to assess from a wide perspective which value drug repurposing might bring to society, but also to identify key obstacles for adoption of these medicines and to discuss policy recommendations. Methods : A preliminary comprehensive search was conducted to assess how the concept of drug repurposing was described in the literature. Following completion of the literature review, a primary research was conducted to get perspective of various stakeholders across EU member states on drug repurposing ( healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies/payers, patients, and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry developing medicines in this field). Ad hoc literature review was performed to illustrate, when appropriate, statements of the various stakeholders. Results : Various nomenclatures have been used to describe the concept of drug repurposing in the literature, with more or less broad definitions either based on outcomes, processes, or being a mix of both. In this context, Medicines for Europe (http://www.medicinesforeurope.com/value-added-medicines/) established one single terminology for these medicines, known as value added medicines, defined as 'medicines based on known molecules that address healthcare needs and deliver relevant improvements for patients, healthcare professionals and/or payers'. Stakeholder interviews highlighted three main potential benefits for value added medicines: (1) to address a number of medicine-related healthcare inefficiencies related to irrational use of medicines, non-availability of appropriate treatment options, shortage of mature products, geographical inequity in medicine access

  3. Leading Change, Adding Value.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Nick

    2016-09-12

    Essential facts Leading Change, Adding Value is NHS England's new nursing and midwifery framework. It is designed to build on Compassion in Practice (CiP), which was published 3 years ago and set out the 6Cs: compassion, care, commitment, courage, competence and communication. CiP established the values at the heart of nursing and midwifery, while the new framework sets out how staff can help transform the health and care sectors to meet the aims of the NHS England's Five Year Forward View.

  4. Does Distance to Subsidiaries affect Headquarters Value Added?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nell, Phillip C.; Beugelsdijk, Sjoerd; Ambos, Björn

    2014-01-01

    How does distance between MNC headquarters and their subsidiaries affect the value added generated by headquarters? Integrating theories on spatial transaction costs with the headquarter view of the MNC, we link two types of distances, geographic distance and contextual distance, with headquarters...... value added. We test our hypotheses on an original dataset of 124 manufacturing subsidiaries in Europe. We find that the relation between distance and headquarters value added is conditional on the degree of subsidiaries’ external embeddedness. We find no direct effect of distance. The value added...... of headquarters is highest for subsidiaries that are not externally embedded in the host country and that operate at a large distance. It is lowest for locally responsive subsidiaries with high external embeddedness operating at a large distance. We discuss implications for the literature on headquarters-subsidiaries...

  5. Profiling value added position in FM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katchamart, Akarapong

    . It is argued that being strategic is not the pre-requisite condition to add value to the core business and stakeholders but rather matching what does FM organization offer - so called FM product - with how does it being offered - so called FM process? By matching FM products with the right FM process, FM...... organizations can best add value. Based on comprehensive literature studies and 7 case studies of private and public organisations from Denmark, Holland, Hong Kong and Thailand, the dissertation analyses, how FM organizations can best create added value. From the analyses the following four value added...... positions have emerged: 1. Support - FM organizations create benefit to its host organization from economies of scope and scale 2. Enable - FM organizations increase the one-off organizational capacity and capability 3. Ensure - FM organizations contribute the business continuity and reliability 4. Enhance...

  6. THE ADDED VALUE OF SHREDDED LELE AND PATIN CATFISH

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    Ristina Siti Sundari

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Fish is not only perishable product but also has segmented market. Consumption market such wants the fresh fish and certainty size. The problem is when the size of fish is too big for consumption, so that product is not wanted by consumer anymore. This research aimed at knowing the added value of shredded Lele and Patin catfish agribusiness and increasing prosperity of humanitarian society throughout processing the shredded catfishes. The data of this research was analyzed by Added Value Analysis of Hayami. The result showed that the shredded product of Lele catfish gave the added value IDR 14.295,00 per kilograms with the added value ratio was 25,53 percent and Conversion value was 0,35. Whereas, the shredded product of Patin catfish gave the added value IDR 18.295,00 per kilogram with the added value ratio was 29,04 percent and Conversion value was 0,35. The agribusiness toward processing and marketing of shredded Lele and Patin catfish was innovative agribusiness that could develop business opportunity so that it could move on the economical wheel and increasing humanitarian society prosperity actively. The market demand was still very wide either in town or out of town. The partnership among various not only government but also non government associations would be a good matter toward this agribusiness is running well.

  7. Value added planning: yes, in my backyard! : understanding value added planning in the city of Amersfoort, the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Diemont, E.; Cilliers, J.; Stobbelaar, D.J.; Timmermans, W.

    2011-01-01

    Amersfoort local municipality would like to renew the quality of the green spaces within the urban areas, to enhance the value of these spaces and to determine the economic value of green spaces. The concept of Value Added Planning was introduced to address these objectives. The value of green is

  8. Corporate performance and the measures of value added

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    T. Petravičius

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, managers have turned their attention to the ways increasing the value of their companies. A number of competing measures have been developed and marketed by investment and consulting firms. This paper considers the ways in which value can be created or destroyed in a firm and looks at how to calculate the cost of capital used to measure the opportunity cost of investing funds in one particular business instead of others with equivalent risk. Next, we have a look at the four most widely used value enhancement measures including Economic Value Added, Cash Flow Return on Investment, Market Value Added, Cash Value Added and use an example to think of where these approaches yield similar results and where differences might occur. In conclusion, we summarize the new or unique points in these competing measures, establish the information they can give and explain how to use it when managing and creating shareholder value.

  9. Adding Value by FM and CREM in Dutch hospitals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Voordt, D.J.M.; Prevosth, J.; van der Zwart, J.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To explore if and how Dutch hospital managers steer on adding value by well-considered Facility Management (FM) and Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM), which values are leading, and how adding value is being translated into concrete interventions. Methodology: In addition to a review

  10. Western hardwoods : value-added research and demonstration program

    Science.gov (United States)

    D. W. Green; W. W. Von Segen; S. A. Willits

    1995-01-01

    Research results from the value-added research and demonstration program for western hardwoods are summarized in this report. The intent of the program was to enhance the economy of the Pacific Northwest by helping local communities and forest industries produce wood products more efficiently. Emphasis was given to value-added products and barriers to increased...

  11. Adding value to laboratory medicine: a professional responsibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beastall, Graham H

    2013-01-01

    Laboratory medicine is a medical specialty at the centre of healthcare. When used optimally laboratory medicine generates knowledge that can facilitate patient safety, improve patient outcomes, shorten patient journeys and lead to more cost-effective healthcare. Optimal use of laboratory medicine relies on dynamic and authoritative leadership outside as well as inside the laboratory. The first responsibility of the head of a clinical laboratory is to ensure the provision of a high quality service across a wide range of parameters culminating in laboratory accreditation against an international standard, such as ISO 15189. From that essential baseline the leadership of laboratory medicine at local, national and international level needs to 'add value' to ensure the optimal delivery, use, development and evaluation of the services provided for individuals and for groups of patients. A convenient tool to illustrate added value is use of the mnemonic 'SCIENCE'. This tool allows added value to be considered in seven domains: standardisation and harmonisation; clinical effectiveness; innovation; evidence-based practice; novel applications; cost-effectiveness; and education of others. The assessment of added value in laboratory medicine may be considered against a framework that comprises three dimensions: operational efficiency; patient management; and patient behaviours. The profession and the patient will benefit from sharing examples of adding value to laboratory medicine.

  12. ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED SEBAGAI UKURAN KEBERHASILAN KINERJA MANAJEMEN PERUSAHAAN

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    Lisa Linawati Utomo

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available The company's performance is mostly measured by analysis based on the financial ratio for a specific period. This type of measurement is highly dependent upon the accounting methods used in preparing the financial statement. Therefore a company's performance often looks good and improving overtime, but in reality its performance is deteriorating. The unreliable accounting measure needs an improved performance measure that will recognize and encourage management actions and strategies to increase the overall value of the company and ultimately to punish any activity that reduce value. The introduction of Economic Value Added (EVA has been very relevant recently because based on its definition, EVA measures the amount of value added created by specific action or strategy taken in a company. EVA is also used in the process of goal setting, capital budgeting, performance assessment, and most importantly, incentive compensation within a company. Its implication to the overall being of a company is so important these days that it should not be overlooked when companies plan their strategies. Abstract in Bahasa Indonesia : Kinerja sebuah perusahaan lebih banyak diukur berdasarkan rasio-rasio keuangan selama satu periode tertentu. Pengukuran berdasarkan rasio keuangan ini sangatlah bergantung pada metode atau perlakuan akuntansi yang digunakan dalam menyusun laporan keuangan perusahaan. Sehingga seringkali kinerja perusahaan terlihat baik dan meningkat, yang mana sebenarnya kinerja tidak mengalami peningkatan dan bahkan menurun. Diperlukannya suatu alat ukur kinerja yang menunjukkan prestasi manajemen sebenarnya dengan tujuan untuk mendorong aktivitas atau strategi yang menambah nilai ekonomis (value added activities dan menghapuskan aktivitas yang merusak nilai (non-value added activities. Economic Value Added (EVA sangat relevan dalam hal ini karena EVA dapat mengukur kinerja (prestasi manajemen berdasarkan besar kecilnya nilai tambah yang diciptakan

  13. ADDED VALUE AS EFFICIENCY CRITERION FOR INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION PROCESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. M. Korotkevich

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Literary analysis has shown that the majority of researchers are using classical efficiency criteria for construction of an optimization model for production process: profit maximization; cost minimization; maximization of commercial product output; minimization of back-log for product demand; minimization of total time consumption due to production change. The paper proposes to use an index of added value as an efficiency criterion because it combines economic and social interests of all main interested subjects of the business activity: national government, property owners, employees, investors. The following types of added value have been considered in the paper: joint-stock, market, monetary, economic, notional (gross, net, real. The paper makes suggestion to use an index of real value added as an efficiency criterion. Such approach permits to bring notional added value in comparable variant because added value can be increased not only due to efficiency improvement of enterprise activity but also due to environmental factors – excess in rate of export price increases over rate of import growth. An analysis of methods for calculation of real value added has been made on a country-by-country basis (extrapolation, simple and double deflation. A method of double deflation has been selected on the basis of the executed analysis and it is counted according to the Laspeyires, Paasche, Fischer indices. A conclusion has been made that the used expressions do not take into account fully economic peculiarities of the Republic of Belarus: they are considered as inappropriate in the case when product cost is differentiated according to marketing outlets; they do not take account of difference in rate of several currencies and such approach is reflected in export price of a released product and import price for raw material, supplies and component parts. Taking this into consideration expressions for calculation of real value added have been specified

  14. Towards an Integrated Value Adding Management Model for FM and CREM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; van der Voordt, Theo

    2016-01-01

    Purpose : To present an integrated process model of adding value by Facilities Management (FM) and Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) that is a generalisation of existing conceptual frameworks and aims to be a basis for management of added value in practice. Background : The growing research...... frameworks are too complex and lack of common terminology and clear operationalisations of intervention-impact relationships. Approach (Theory/Methodology) :A generalised Value Adding Management process model is developed based on a common cause-effect model identified in existing conceptual frameworks...... aims at supporting the practical management and measurement of added value. A typology with six types of FM/CREM interventions is developed from earlier research. The concept of Value Adding Management is investigated and the 12 most important added value parameters are identified. Research limitations...

  15. Reflecting on future research concerning the added value of FM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; van der Voordt, Theo; Coenen, Christian

    2014-01-01

    on contributions to the recently published book “The Added Value of Facilities Management” and related future studies, as well as further exploration of five main themes. Findings – Added value is expected to be central in the future development of FM, which is confirmed by recent foresight studies....... There is a need for a better understanding of alignment between FM and core business, performance measurement methods and how models such as the FM Value Map can be of value to the involved stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability and branding have great potential to add value......Purpose – This paper aims to summarize recent research findings and reflections on The Added Value of Facilities Management (FM) and to outline perspectives for future research and development of the added value of FM. Design/methodology/approach – The article is based on reflections...

  16. The economic impact of reduced value added tax rates for groceries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slavomíra Martinková

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The value added tax represents one of the most important sources of state budget revenues of EU Member States. The basic value added tax rate is in the EU currently between 15% in Luxembourg to 27% applied in Hungary. The revenues from this tax represent an average of 17.5% of all tax revenues of EU countries and create an average GDP of 7.0% (year 2016, EU 28. As revenues from value added tax represent a stable income of state budget, the legislative changes in the system of value added tax, mainly its reductions as well as its imposition on groceries, can significantly influence further macroeconomic development. In the last year, the government of the Slovak Republic implemented changes in universal indirect taxing in such way that in addition to the standard value added tax rate of 20%, the Act No. 268/2015 on Value added tax adopted in 2016 a decreased value added tax rate of 10% on selected groceries, in order to support domestic producers and reduce the tax burden of low-income and middle-income groups. According to the European Commission (2007, the reduced rate of value added tax in selected cases has its justification and importance in the country's economy. The aim of this paper is to analyse the economic impact of the applied reduced value added tax on food in the Slovak Republic in the context of household expenditures and revenues of the state budget.

  17. Value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC: an empirical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehrnaz Paknezhad

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available There is no doubt that conventional accounting does not provide actual value of a firm since they only take into account the tangible assets. Intellectual capital provides a new concept for considering actual value of the assets, which helps calculate intangible values of the firm. In this paper, we use value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC to measure the performance of a firm. The study investigates the relationship between intellectual capital and return on assets and value added for three consecutive years between 2008 and 2010. The results indicate that there is no meaningful relationship between intellectual capital and return on assets for fiscal years of 2008 and 2009 but there is a meaningful relationship between these two items for the fiscal year of 2010 when . Our findings also indicate that there is no meaningful relationship between intellectual capital and value added for the years of 2008 and 2010 but there is a meaningful relationship between the items for the fiscal year of 2009. The results somewhat confirm the recently published results in the literature, which argues the use of VAIC for assessing the direct impact of IC on other financial factors.

  18. The principal axis approach to value-added calculation.

    OpenAIRE

    He, Q.; Tymms, P.

    2014-01-01

    The assessment of the achievement of students and the quality of schools has drawn increasing attention from educational researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. Various test-based accountability and feedback systems involving the use of value-added techniques have been developed for evaluating the effectiveness of individual teaching professionals and schools. A variety of models have been employed for calculating value-added measures, including the use of linear regression models whic...

  19. Perceptions Towards Non-Value-Adding Activities During The Construction Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismail Haryati

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Non-value-adding activities are pure waste during the construction process. However, most of the construction practitioner does not realise that most of the activities performed during the construction process add no value to their project. A total of 375 numbers of questionnaires distributed to the Developer, Jabatan Kerja Raya, Consultants and Contractors. The study found that awareness by construction participants in Malaysia to take actions against non-value-adding activities during the construction process is relatively low. Through analysed by using the Pareto Chart, it has been found that defects and waiting time are two categories of non-value-adding activities that need to be prioritised by the industry. It is also found that non-value-adding activities most frequently occurred during structural and architectural work. This paper also reviewed on the causes of non-value-adding activities and discussed its effect towards time, cost, quality and productivity of the construction project. This paper is also important to give clearness and broader understandings on this form of waste other than material waste.

  20. How Can Value-Added Measures Be Used for Teacher Improvement? What We Know Series: Value-Added Methods and Applications. Knowledge Brief 13

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loeb, Susanna

    2013-01-01

    The question for this brief is whether education leaders can use value-added measures as tools for improving schooling and, if so, how to do this. Districts, states, and schools can, at least in theory, generate gains in educational outcomes for students using value-added measures in three ways: creating information on effective programs, making…

  1. Measuring the added value of IT in construction firms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Laan, Albertus; Voordijk, Johannes T.; Kolkman, S.; Greenwood, D.J.

    2003-01-01

    The added value of information technology (IT) varies widely along firms. The objective of this paper is to analyse the underlying factors that enlarge or reduce the added value of information systems and IT-applications in construction firms. By applying the process-oriented approach of Tallon et

  2. 48 CFR 252.229-7006 - Value added tax exclusion (United Kingdom).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Value added tax exclusion... CLAUSES Text of Provisions And Clauses 252.229-7006 Value added tax exclusion (United Kingdom). As prescribed in 229.402-70(f), use the following clause: Value Added Tax Exclusion (United Kingdom) (JUN 1997...

  3. Value Added Methods: Moving from Univariate to Multivariate Criteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, David; Newman, Isadore; Ridenour, Carolyn; Morales, Jennifer

    2014-01-01

    The authors describe five value-added methods (VAM) used in school assessment as the backdrop to their main thesis. Then they review the assumptions underlying measurement and evaluation, the foundation of all assessment systems, including value-added. They discuss the traditional criterion variable used in VAM: a standardized test score. Next,…

  4. Measuring Corporate Sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Value Added

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alena Kocmanová

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to propose a model for measuring sustainable value which would complexly assess environmental, social, and corporate governance contribution to value creation. In the paper the concept of the Sustainable Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Value Added is presented. The Sustainable Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Value Added is based on the Sustainable Value Added model and combines weighted environmental, social, and corporate governance indicators with their benchmarks determined by Data Envelopment Analysis. Benchmark values of indicators were set for each company separately and determine the optimal combination of environmental, social, and corporate governance inputs to economic outcomes. The Sustainable Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Value Added methodology is applied on real-life corporate data and presented through a case study. The value added of most of the selected companies was negative, even though economic indicators of all of them are positive. The Sustainable Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Value Added is intended to help owners, investors, and other stakeholders in their decision-making and sustainability assessment. The use of environmental, social, and corporate governance factors helps identify the company’s strengths and weaknesses, and provides a more sophisticated insight into it than the one-dimensional methods based on economic performance alone.

  5. Creating value added to customers: Marketing and sales role

    OpenAIRE

    Damnjanović Vesna; Filipović Vinka

    2006-01-01

    This paper presents the new trends in sales and marketing areas which reshaping markets and changing the way business is done. Marketing and sales management need a well-defined strategy for added value exploration, creation and delivery. The holistic marketing process involves all stakeholders and required them to participate in the value added creation process.

  6. Added Value of Employee Financial Participation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poutsma, F.; Kaarsemaker, E.C.A.; Andresen, M.; Nowak, C.

    2015-01-01

    This chapter broadens our understanding of the added value of employee financial participation. Financial participation is a generic term for the participation of employees in profit and enterprise results including equity of their employing firm. In general, there are two forms of employee

  7. Exogenous Variables and Value-Added Assessments: A Fatal Flaw

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berliner, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Background: There has been rapid growth in value-added assessment of teachers to meet the widely supported policy goal of identifying the most effective and the most ineffective teachers in a school system. The former group is to be rewarded while the latter group is to be helped or fired for their poor performance. But, value-added approaches to…

  8. Creating value added to customers: Marketing and sales role

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damnjanović Vesna

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the new trends in sales and marketing areas which reshaping markets and changing the way business is done. Marketing and sales management need a well-defined strategy for added value exploration, creation and delivery. The holistic marketing process involves all stakeholders and required them to participate in the value added creation process.

  9. Exploring Value-Added Options - Opportunities in Mouldings and Millwork

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bob Smith; Philip A. Araman

    1997-01-01

    The millwork industry, which includes manufacture of doors, windows, stair parts, blinds, mouldings, picture frame material, and assorted trim, can be a lucrative value-added opportunity for sawmills. Those entering the value-added millwork market often find that it is a great opportunity to generate greater profits from upper grades and utility species, such as yellow...

  10. Approaching value added planning in the green environment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cilliers, E.J.; Timmermans, W.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to link economic value to urban green spaces to enhance the value of green urban spaces, along with the added benefit it can offer to the urban environment. Design/methodology/approach – As part of the VALUE project (Valuing Attractive Landscapes in the Urban

  11. The added value of business models

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vliet, Harry van

    An overview of innovations in a particular area, for example retail developments in the fashion sector (Van Vliet, 2014), and a subsequent discussion about the probability as to whether these innovations will realise a ‘breakthrough’, has to be supplemented with the question of what the added value

  12. Consumer preferences and willingness to pay for value-added chicken product attributes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez Michel, Lorelei; Anders, Sven; Wismer, Wendy V

    2011-10-01

    A growing demand for convenient and ready-to-eat products has increased poultry processors' interest in developing consumer-oriented value-added chicken products. In this study, a conjoint analysis survey of 276 chicken consumers in Edmonton was conducted during the summer of 2009 to assess the importance of the chicken part, production method, processing method, storage method, the presence of added flavor, and cooking method on consumer preferences for different value-added chicken product attributes. Estimates of consumer willingness to pay (WTP) premium prices for different combinations of value-added chicken attributes were also determined. Participants'"ideal" chicken product was a refrigerated product made with free-range chicken breast, produced with no additives or preservatives and no added flavor, which could be oven heated or pan heated. Half of all participants on average were willing to pay 30% more for a value-added chicken product over the price of a conventional product. Overall, young consumers, individuals who shop at Farmers' Markets and those who prefer free-range or organic products were more likely to pay a premium for value-added chicken products. As expected, consumers' WTP was affected negatively by product price. Combined knowledge of consumer product attribute preferences and consumer WTP for value-added chicken products can help the poultry industry design innovative value-added chicken products. Practical Application:  An optimum combination of product attributes desired by consumers for the development of a new value-added chicken product, as well as the WTP for this product, have been identified in this study. This information is relevant to the poultry industry to enhance consumer satisfaction of future value-added chicken products and provide the tools for future profit growth. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

  13. Reflecting on future research concerning the added value of FM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jensen, PA; van der Voordt, Theo; Coenen, C; Sarasoja, AL

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To summarize recent research findings and reflections on The Added Value of Facilities Management and to outline perspectives for future research and development of the added value of FM.
    Methodology - The article is based on reflections on contributions to the recently published book

  14. Getting Value out of Value-Added: Report of a Workshop

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braun, Henry, Ed.; Chudowsky, Naomi, Ed.; Koenig, Judith, Ed.

    2010-01-01

    Value-added methods refer to efforts to estimate the relative contributions of specific teachers, schools, or programs to student test performance. In recent years, these methods have attracted considerable attention because of their potential applicability for educational accountability, teacher pay-for-performance systems, school and teacher…

  15. Waste valorization by biotechnological conversion into added value products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liguori, Rossana; Amore, Antonella; Faraco, Vincenza

    2013-07-01

    Fossil fuel reserves depletion, global warming, unrelenting population growth, and costly and problematic waste recycling call for renewable resources of energy and consumer products. As an alternative to the 100 % oil economy, production processes based on biomass can be developed. Huge amounts of lignocellulosic wastes are yearly produced all around the world. They include agricultural residues, food farming wastes, "green-grocer's wastes," tree pruning residues, and organic and paper fraction of urban solid wastes. The common ways currently adopted for disposal of these wastes present environmental and economic disadvantages. As an alternative, processes for adding value to wastes producing high added products should be developed, that is the upgrading concept: adding value to wastes by production of a product with desired reproducible properties, having economic and ecological advantages. A wide range of high added value products, such as enzymes, biofuels, organic acids, biopolymers, bioelectricity, and molecules for food and pharmaceutical industries, can be obtained by upgrading solid wastes. The most recent advancements of their production by biotechnological processes are overviewed in this manuscript.

  16. Adding value by FM: exploration of management practice in the Netherlands and Denmark

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Voordt, Theo; Jensen, PA

    2014-01-01

    The last decade shows a growing attention into the concept of added value of Facilities Management and Corporate Real Estate Management and how to attain and measure added value. A variety of different types of added value came to the fore such as user value, customer value, financial value,

  17. A Study on Value Added Tax for Business Enterprise Taxation - An Introduction

    OpenAIRE

    安部,知格

    2002-01-01

    In recent years,the argument whetter we should switch over the base of taxation for business enterprise from the income standard to other standards or not is rising. In these circumstances,as one of the other standards,the value-added tax has been taken up. The value-added tax appeared in Japan as the one which can be replaced income standard taxation for business enterprise by Shoup Mission in 1949. This paper considers the meaning of the value-added tax. Consequently,I think,the value-added...

  18. The added value of Facility management in the educational environment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kok, H.B.; Mobach, M.; Omta, S.W.F.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define the added value of facility management (FM) in general and to develop a typology of facility services based on their added value in the educational environment. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a literature review and first

  19. Metrix Matrix: A Cloud-Based System for Tracking Non-Relative Value Unit Value-Added Work Metrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovacs, Mark D; Sheafor, Douglas H; Thacker, Paul G; Hardie, Andrew D; Costello, Philip

    2018-03-01

    In the era of value-based medicine, it will become increasingly important for radiologists to provide metrics that demonstrate their value beyond clinical productivity. In this article the authors describe their institution's development of an easy-to-use system for tracking value-added but non-relative value unit (RVU)-based activities. Metrix Matrix is an efficient cloud-based system for tracking value-added work. A password-protected home page contains links to web-based forms created using Google Forms, with collected data populating Google Sheets spreadsheets. Value-added work metrics selected for tracking included interdisciplinary conferences, hospital committee meetings, consulting on nonbilled outside studies, and practice-based quality improvement. Over a period of 4 months, value-added work data were collected for all clinical attending faculty members in a university-based radiology department (n = 39). Time required for data entry was analyzed for 2 faculty members over the same time period. Thirty-nine faculty members (equivalent to 36.4 full-time equivalents) reported a total of 1,223.5 hours of value-added work time (VAWT). A formula was used to calculate "value-added RVUs" (vRVUs) from VAWT. VAWT amounted to 5,793.6 vRVUs or 6.0% of total work performed (vRVUs plus work RVUs [wRVUs]). Were vRVUs considered equivalent to wRVUs for staffing purposes, this would require an additional 2.3 full-time equivalents, on the basis of average wRVU calculations. Mean data entry time was 56.1 seconds per day per faculty member. As health care reimbursement evolves with an emphasis on value-based medicine, it is imperative that radiologists demonstrate the value they add to patient care beyond wRVUs. This free and easy-to-use cloud-based system allows the efficient quantification of value-added work activities. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Added value: The differences that count

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dominique Bouchet

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Clinging to a simplistic conceptualization of the concept of added value might impair our capability to develop insights to what really matters today when companies seek to make differences within the global market. Today it is more necessary than ever to take into account the importance of language and culture as competitive factors.

  1. Added value of FM – a critical review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; van der Voordt, Theo

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to provide a state of the art of how the topic “Added value of FM” has been treated recently in research and practice. The paper is based on research papers from EFMC 2013 and 2014. The paper provides an overview and a critical review of this research. A main focus...... is to examine to which degree there is a cumulative knowledge building in this field. The paper also summarises findings about value adding management in practice and reflects on implications for research and practice. The critical review shows that some of the papers have a strong foundation in former research...

  2. The start of a Nordic focus on the added value of FM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; Malmstrøm, Ole Emil

    2012-01-01

    . Findings: Different methods to demonstrate the added value of FM are presented and the analysis of the cases shows that a change in responsibility – both between core business and in-house FM and between in-house FM and providers - can be an important element in the possibility for FM to create added value....... On-going collaboration can also be an important leverage for adding value in FM. Practical implications: The findings can provide inspiration and methods for facilities managers to implement adding value initiatives and demonstrate their impact on the core business. Research limitations: The chapter...

  3. Value-added biotransformation of cellulosic sugars by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Stephan; Dong, Jia; Jin, Yong-Su

    2018-07-01

    The substantial research efforts into lignocellulosic biofuels have generated an abundance of valuable knowledge and technologies for metabolic engineering. In particular, these investments have led to a vast growth in proficiency of engineering the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for consuming lignocellulosic sugars, enabling the simultaneous assimilation of multiple carbon sources, and producing a large variety of value-added products by introduction of heterologous metabolic pathways. While microbial conversion of cellulosic sugars into large-volume low-value biofuels is not currently economically feasible, there may still be opportunities to produce other value-added chemicals as regulation of cellulosic sugar metabolism is quite different from glucose metabolism. This review summarizes these recent advances with an emphasis on employing engineered yeast for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic sugars into a variety of non-ethanol value-added products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The Added Value of FM : Different Research Perspectives

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jensen, P; van der Voordt, Theo; Coenen, C; von Felten, D; Lindholm, A

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to present and compare research perspectives and theoretical reflections from a variety of academic fields on the concept of Added Value of Facilities Management (FM).
    Theory: The starting point is the so-called FM Value Map, which was presented in a paper by Jensen

  5. The Role and Implications of the Added Value as an Indicator of Financial Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cornelia Tureac

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The added value represents the excess of income over the value of consumptions coming from third parties, respectively the wealth created by capitalizing the technical, human and financial resources of the company. The economy is an established running after the optimal decision; so there cannot exist and economy without leadership, so there cannot be leadership without analysis, respectively the analysis of added value. This paper deals with a comparative analysis of three years, ie 2010 – 2012, of the added value from within Thomson Logistic Ltd which has 3 working points in Galati, Ploiesti and Targul Neamt. The analysis of added value is important both from the company‘s manager as an indicator for financial performance, and in terms of tax which is an indicator in the system of taxation. The methodology of this paper can be found in the use and application of the economical and financial analysis in order to perform an analysis of the added value that expresses the increase of wealth that is achieved through technical and productive activity. More specifically there were analyzed the added value, expenses of added value nature, structure of added value, growth indices of the corresponding elements of VA and the analysis from factorial point of view of the added value. In conclusion the growth rate of added value exceeded in dynamic the production value of the exercise (77.7>66.81; 31.21>31.17 because the intermediate consumption from third parties increased in 2011, and the added value decreases to an percentage of 22.30 % compared to the basis year in 2010. The result of exploitation had a decisive contribution to the decline in the added value, registering a drop of 88.05 % compared to 2011, respectively from 11705.2 Ron to 1399 Ron in 2012.

  6. PENGUKURAN KINERJA PERUSAHAAN PT. HADJI KALLA DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN ANALISIS ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED

    OpenAIRE

    2013-01-01

    Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengetahui kinerja Economic Value Added (EVA) yang dicapai oleh perusahaan PT. Hadji Kalla, sedangkan metode analisis yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah analisis perkembangan Economic Value Added (EVA), Net Operating Profit After Tax (NOPAT) dan The purpose of this study was to determine the performance of the Economic Value Added (EVA), which is achieved by the company PT. Hadji Kalla...

  7. The Concept of added value of FM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jensen, PA; van der Voordt, Theo; Coenen, C; von Felten, D; Balslev-Nielsen, S; Sarasoja, AL; Riratanaphong, C.; Pfenninger, M; Jensen, PA; van der Voordt, DJM; Coenen, C

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This chapter presents research perspectives and theoretical reflections on the concept of added value of FM from a variety of academic fields.
    Methodology: A literature review of the most influential journals within the academic fields of Facilities Management (FM), Corporate Real

  8. Bioconversion of sago residue into value added products | Awg ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... value added products. DS Awg-Adeni, S Abd-Aziz, K Bujang, MA Hassan ... sago processing mills. This review focuses on the developments in processes and products for the value addition of sago residues through biotechnological means.

  9. Productivity and value added distribution in family-owned businesses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Luis Gallizo Larraz

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Identify similarities and/or differences in the distribution of Value Added characterizing family businesses as opposed to non-family held firms, and analyse productivity by linking the distribution of the wealth generated by the company to a variety of related agents or stakeholders (employees, providers of loan capital, and shareholders. Design/methodology: A data series consisting of VA distribution in a sample of 8,609 Spanish companies, of which 5,109 are family firms and another 3,500 companies which are not, for the period comprising 2008 to 2013 was employed for this study. The data from the financial statements pertaining to these companies was taken from the SABI system (a privately-funded database analysing the financials of Spanish and Portuguese firms, operated by INFORMA, SA, selecting only those companies that employ standardized financial reporting practices. Findings and results: The work shows the existence of significant differences between family and non-family businesses in the distribution of value added among the different stakeholders. Given that, although both types of company spend most of the value added to remunerate staff, the family company spends a higher proportion thereof on self-financing as compared to non-family businesses, which spend a higher percentage on the remuneration of firm ownership. On the other hand, the lower labour productivity of family businesses is apparent, a result that can be explained both by the lower staff monetary remuneration, as well as the use of production technologies that are also less capital-intensive. Limitations: The study included only medium and large companies. These are companies that report financial statements offering more disaggregated data (through use of the standard forms. This owes to the legal requirement of these companies to file a cash flow statement, a necessary source for deriving information on dividends paid by the company. Added value: This is

  10. Coaching Small Biotech Companies into Success: The Value-adding Function of VC

    OpenAIRE

    Terttu Luukkonen,; Mari Maunula,

    2006-01-01

    The paper reports an empirical study on the non-financial value-added provided by Venture Capital investors to their investee firms. This study will use a four-class grouping of the various non-financial value-adding capabilities provided by VC firms, namely, scouting, monitoring, signalling and value-adding services. The study examines biotechnology industry in Finland. Finland has a dual system with independent (partially ever-green) VC companies and public or semi-public VC organisations. ...

  11. Towards an Integrated Value Adding Management Model for FM and CREM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jensen, Per Anker; van der Voordt, Theo; Kähkönen, Kalle; Keinänen, Marko

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To present an integrated process model of adding value by Facilities Management (FM) and Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) that is a generalisation of existing conceptual frameworks and aims to be a basis for management of added value in practice.
    Background: The growing research

  12. Value-Added Tax -- Can Schools Use It?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmon, Richard G.

    1973-01-01

    Defines the value-added tax and examines it in light of equity, economic effects, cost of administration, and stability and yield. Compares the tax with the property tax and suggests alternative ways in which States and the Federal Government may participate in the financing of education. (DN)

  13. English Value-Added Measures: Examining the Limitations of School Performance Measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Value-added "Progress" measures are to be introduced for all English schools in 2016 as "headline" measures of school performance. This move comes despite research highlighting high levels of instability in value-added measures and concerns about the omission of contextual variables in the planned measure. This article studies…

  14. The added value of advisory services in SME mergers and acquisitions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lex van Teeffelen

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study is to shed light on the added value of the services of five disciplines in M&A advisory in the SME domain: accountants, bankers, business brokers, fiscalists and lawyers. Theory is inconclusive in the added value of advisory services and research on the subject is hardly

  15. Management of Tax Payments Under the Definitive Value Added Tax Regime

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jurušs Māris

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available There is a large value added tax fraud in the European Union. The current value added tax system is universal as tax is applied to all parties involved in the chain transactions, thus creating a risk of tax losses if one of the parties involved in the chain transaction does not pay tax in good faith. There is the action plan to introduce the definitive value added tax to prevent tax fraud in intra-community transactions. However, in order to ensure normal value added tax administration in all member states, a number of measures are needed to be done. It is necessary to develop a mutual settlement mechanism in cases of intra-community transactions. The aim of this research is to develop a possible solution for the management of tax payments under the definitive value added tax regime. The results of the research show that to manage tax payments, several payment management systems can be used. However, as a solution, a special clearing system could be introduced. Quantitative research methods such as statistical methods were used in order to analyze the situation of tax fraud in EU and its main causes, as well as mathematical modeling methods to analyze the definitive VAT system and to calculate the balance between countries in an example for clearing mechanism.

  16. How to Use Value-Added Measures Right

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Carlo, Matthew

    2012-01-01

    Value-added models are a specific type of "growth model," a diverse group of statistical techniques to isolate a teacher's impact on his or her students' testing progress while controlling for other measurable factors, such as student and school characteristics, that are outside that teacher's control. Opponents, including many teachers, argue…

  17. Trade in value added in the West Pacific: An input-output analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Nakamura, Yoichi

    2015-01-01

    The evolution of trade between the four regions in the West Pacific in both gross and value added terms is analyzed using international input-output tables. It is found that value added exports of computers and electronic equipment of the Asian economies are very limited in comparison with their gross exports, and that the largest shares of value added exports were accounted for by the services sectors in every region, particularly so in Japan and the US. Surpluses and deficits in bilateral t...

  18. Added values of photovoltaic power systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-03-01

    The structure, ownership and operation of electricity systems around the world are changing in response to industry restructuring, the availability of new technologies and increasing environmental awareness. At the same time, many countries have yet to provide basic energy services for their populations, particularly in areas not served by the electricity grid. Large-scale, central power generation and distribution which characterized the electricity industry for much of the 20 th century is being challenged by new technologies, which are cleaner, faster to deploy and better matched to local requirements. Higher values are being placed on ancillary services, such as power system reliability and voltage stability, so that a simple comparison of energy cost is no longer appropriate as a measure of competitiveness. Solar photovoltaic electricity is unique amongst the new energy sources for the wide range of energy and non-energy benefits which can be provided, while the use of photovoltaic power systems as an integral part of a building provides the greatest opportunity for exploiting non-energy benefits and for adding value to the photovoltaic power system. This report documents the potential added values or non-energy benefits photovoltaic power systems can provide, the current state of market development and the key barriers faced by renewable energy technologies generally and photovoltaic power systems in particular. Means by which non-energy benefits may be used to overcome barriers to the use of photovoltaic power systems are then discussed, with specific attention to the use of building integrated photovoltaics. (author)

  19. Added values of photovoltaic power systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-03-15

    The structure, ownership and operation of electricity systems around the world are changing in response to industry restructuring, the availability of new technologies and increasing environmental awareness. At the same time, many countries have yet to provide basic energy services for their populations, particularly in areas not served by the electricity grid. Large-scale, central power generation and distribution which characterized the electricity industry for much of the 20{sup th} century is being challenged by new technologies, which are cleaner, faster to deploy and better matched to local requirements. Higher values are being placed on ancillary services, such as power system reliability and voltage stability, so that a simple comparison of energy cost is no longer appropriate as a measure of competitiveness. Solar photovoltaic electricity is unique amongst the new energy sources for the wide range of energy and non-energy benefits which can be provided, while the use of photovoltaic power systems as an integral part of a building provides the greatest opportunity for exploiting non-energy benefits and for adding value to the photovoltaic power system. This report documents the potential added values or non-energy benefits photovoltaic power systems can provide, the current state of market development and the key barriers faced by renewable energy technologies generally and photovoltaic power systems in particular. Means by which non-energy benefits may be used to overcome barriers to the use of photovoltaic power systems are then discussed, with specific attention to the use of building integrated photovoltaics. (author)

  20. Value-added Chemicals from Biomass by Heterogeneous Catalysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Voss, Bodil

    feedstock, having retained one C-C bond originating from the biomass precursor, the aspects of utilising heterogeneous catalysis for its conversion to value added chemicals is investigated. Through a simple analysis of known, but not industrialised catalytic routes, the direct conversion of ethanol....... The results of the thesis, taking one example of biomass conversion, show that the utilisation of biomass in the production of chemicals by heterogeneous catalysis is promising from a technical point of view. But risks of market price excursions dominated by fossil based chemicals further set a criterion...... been implemented. The subject on chemical production has received less attention. This thesis describes and evaluates the quest for an alternative conversion route, based on a biomass feedstock and employing a heterogeneous catalyst capable of converting the feedstock, to a value-added chemical...

  1. Added economic value of limited area multi-EPS weather forecasting applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Deckmyn

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available We compare the GLAMEPS system, a pan-European limited area ensemble prediction system, with ECMWF's EPS over Belgium for an extended period from March 2010 until the end of December 2010. In agreement with a previous study, we find GLAMEPS scores considerably better than ECMWF's EPS. To compute the economic value, we introduce a new relative economic value score for continuous forecasts. The added value of combining the GLAMEPS system with the LAEF system over Belgium is studied. We conclude that adding LAEF to GLAMEPS increases the value, although the increase is small compared to the improvement of GLAMEPS to ECMWF's EPS. As an added benefit we find that the combined GLAMEPS-LAEF multi-EPS system is more robust, that is, it is less vulnerable to the (accidental removal of one of its components.

  2. Evaluation of Value Added Tax Application Problems in Terms of Taxation of Electronic Commerce

    OpenAIRE

    Güneş ÇETİN GERGER; Adnan GERÇEK

    2016-01-01

    Nowadays electronic taxation is being one of the important issues for revenue administrations. Tax administrations try to organize their tax system fairly and give attention on equity. Value added tax is most preferable taxes among the consumption taxes. Because it’s application is easy and taxpayers don’t show resistance to the value added tax. On electronic commerce value added taxes are using commonly. To provide equity in taxation, some taxation principles are adapted for value added tax...

  3. Municipal Added Value through Solar Power Systems in the City of Freiburg

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Funcke

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The transformation of the conventional energy system towards renewable energies has entailed an increasing decentralization of energy generation in Germany, as the production units are smaller and draw on regional potentials. This can result in positive socio-economic effects in regions where the potential is exploited. The focus of this paper lies on evaluating existing methods and developing new ones, which can be used to determine local added value through renewable energy systems. The methods were required to cover direct as well as induced municipal added value effects and to include all steps of the examined value chain. A combination of methods was tested in a case study for the solar power system value chain in the city of Freiburg (ca. 220,000 inhabitants. The added value through this sector in the year 2009 was calculated at 30.8 million euros through direct effects and 6.2 million euros through induced effects. This total municipal added value of 37 million euros can be converted into roughly 1,500 jobs within the city boundaries. Based on some conservative assumptions, these numbers should be considered as minimum values.

  4. Ιnvestment in green economy as a potential source of value added

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Klasinc

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose - The hypothesis of the paper is that domestic value added created by exports in Croatia could be increased by investments in green economy. Methodology - In the developed economies only specific products, processes and functions that outperform emerging economies in Global Value Chains are able to profit from the larger share of value added. Large portion of "green economy" is knowledge intensive, and if knowledge based economy (KBC plays a significant role in determining the domestic value added created by exports, economies with a larger stock of KBC should have a larger difference in VAX between knowledge-intensive industries and less knowledge-intensive industries. Domestic value added embodied in exports can be proxied by attracted FDI. Findings - The results seem to show some support to the hypothesis. In Croatia it has already been shown that sectors of economy with larger stock of intellectual capital measured by Intellectual Capital Efficiency (ICE index attracted more FDI, which can also serve as a predictor for larger value added in exports due to higher productivity. Knowledge intensity of 18 industries in the US as the benchmark economy shows that "Electrical and optical equipment" has above average knowledge intensity of 0,53, and it can be matched with "green economy" in Croatian industries that attracted more FDI and have higher levels of KBC. Research limitations and implications - Although this study is limited just to KBC, as an extension, the potential role of financial development could be included. Also, the length of time series for VAX measured by OECD does not allow for more thorough analysis. Originality/value – Although not conclusive, this paper is an important first step giving direction to subsequent studies of effects of KBC on value added.

  5. Assessing the Added Value of information systems supporting facilities management business processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ebbesen, Poul; Jensen, Per Anker

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To present a method for assessing the added value of Information Systems (IS), which are implemented to support the business processes in Facilities Management (FM). Theory: The method is based on a supply chain management model of FM, general value dimensions such as efficiency...... illustrates that implementing IS includes both organisational and technological changes and demonstrates that the proposed assessment method is applicable to practice. Originality/value: This is the first paper using a supply chain management model of FM, general value dimensions, VAM and Functional...... and effectiveness and the concepts of Value Adding Management (VAM) and Functional Affordances of IS. Design/methodology/approach: From case studies of IS implementation processes in FM in different countries, a general picture of the expressed added value of IS in FM was established. Based on this insight a method...

  6. KINERJA KEUANGAN KONVENSIONAL, ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED, DAN RETURN SAHAM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bambang Sudiyatno

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh kinerja keuangan konvensional; Return on Asset (ROA, Return on Equity (ROE, Residual Income (RI, dan kinerja keuangan yang lebih modern; Economic Value Added (EVA terhadap return saham pada perusahaan-perusahaan dalam industry makanan dan minuman yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia. Pengambilan sampel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan metode sensus, karena semua perusahaan dalam industry makanan dan minuman digunakan sebagai sampel. Namun dalam proses samplingnya mengunakan metode purposive sampling, yaitu menggunakan sampel dengan criteria-kriteria tertentu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Return on Asset (ROA dan Residual Income (RI berpengaruh positif dan secara statistik signifikan terhadap return saham pada level signifikansi 1%. Sedangkan Return on Equity (ROE berpengaruh negative dan secara statistik signifikan terhadap return saham pada level signifikansi 10%, dan Economic Value Added (ERA berpengaruh positif tetapi tidak signifikan terhadap return saham.This study aims to test the effect of conventional financial performance i.e. Return on Asset (ROA, Return on Equity (ROE, Residual Income (RI, and the more modern financial performance which is Economic Value Added (EVA toward stock returns on companies in the food and beverage industry listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. Sampling technique in this study uses the census method, all companies in the food and beverage industry are used as a sample. The process of sampling using purposive sampling method. The result shows that Return On Asset (ROA and Residual Income (RI are positive and statistic significant impact on the stock returns at significance level 1%. While the Return on Equity (ROE is negative and statistic significant impact on the stock returns at significance level 10%, Economic Value Added (EVA is positive and statistic not significant impact on the stock returns.

  7. Cost-savings accruable to removing value added tax from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Despite the important and essential role that medicines play in any society, all medicines, including those identified as essential, are uniformly subjected to 14% value added tax (VAT), regardless of their therapeutic value in the private healthcare sector of South Africa. The aim of this article is to demonstrate ...

  8. Adding Value by FM: an exploration of management practice in the Netherlands and Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van der Voordt, Theo; Jensen, Per Anker

    2014-01-01

    The last decade shows a growing attention into the concept of added value of Facilities Management and Corporate Real Estate Management and how to attain and measure added value. A variety of different types of added value came to the fore such as user value, customer value, financial value......, environmental value and relationship value. Furthermore a huge variety of different definitions can be found in publications from different authors, partly depending on their disciplinary background and partly because some authors do not build on former research. In discussions with researchers...... and practitioners, the concept of added value is definitely recognized. However, people have many different topics in mind. In a workshop at EFMC 2013 all attendants used different terms and mentioned only a few concrete measures how to add value, mostly in rather abstract terms. Further research is needed...

  9. A Closer Look at Revealed Comparative Advantage: Gross-versus Value Added Trade Flows

    OpenAIRE

    Brakman, Steven; van Marrewijk, Charles

    2015-01-01

    With the availability of international value added trade data it has become evident that gross export data and value added data do not provide the same information. Although gross exports crosses national borders and is the target of trade policy, value added data tell us what fragment in the production chain is internationally competitive in a particular country. With respect to comparative advantage the differences between the two types of data are often illustrated by means of examples usi...

  10. Stability of Teacher Value-Added Rankings across Measurement Model and Scaling Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawley, Leslie R.; Bovaird, James A.; Wu, ChaoRong

    2017-01-01

    Value-added assessment methods have been criticized by researchers and policy makers for a number of reasons. One issue includes the sensitivity of model results across different outcome measures. This study examined the utility of incorporating multivariate latent variable approaches within a traditional value-added framework. We evaluated the…

  11. The Reliability, Impact, and Cost-Effectiveness of Value-Added Teacher Assessment Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Stuart S.

    2012-01-01

    This article reviews evidence regarding the intertemporal reliability of teacher rankings based on value-added methods. Value-added methods exhibit low reliability, yet are broadly supported by prominent educational researchers and are increasingly being used to evaluate and fire teachers. The article then presents a cost-effectiveness analysis…

  12. Value-added tax fraud in the European Union

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aronowitz, A.A.; Laagland, D.C.G.; Paulides, G.

    1996-01-01

    Questions addressed in this project included:What are the existing control mechanisms and how do they operate? What public bodies are responsible for the fight against Value Added Tax (VAT) fraud and what are their competencies? What are the possibilities to exchange information between member

  13. Adding Value by Hospital Real Estate: An Exploration of Dutch Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Zwart, Johan; van der Voordt, Theo J M

    2016-01-01

    To explore how hospital real estate can add value to the healthcare organization, which values are prioritized in practice, and why. Dutch healthcare organizations are self-responsible for the costs and benefits of their accommodation. Meanwhile, a lively debate is going on about possible added values of corporate and public real estate in the fields of corporate real estate management and facility management. This article connects both worlds and compares insights from literature with experiences from practice. Added values extracted from literature have been discussed with 15 chief executive officers and project leaders of recently newly built hospitals in the Netherlands. Interviewees were asked (1) which values are included in the design and management of their hospital and why, (2) to prioritize most important values from a list of nine predefined values, and (3) to explain how the chosen real estate decisions are supposed to support organizational objectives. Stimulating innovation, user satisfaction, and improving organizational culture are most highly valued, followed by improving productivity, reducing building costs, and creating building flexibility. Image, risk control, and financing possibilities got lower rankings. The findings have been used to develop a value-impact matrix that connects nine values to various stakeholders and possible interventions. The findings and the value-impact matrix can make different stakeholders aware of many possible added values of hospital real estate, potential synergy and conflicts between different values, and how to steer on value add in different phases of the life cycle. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. Fuel cell added value for early market applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardman, Scott; Chandan, Amrit; Steinberger-Wilckens, Robert

    2015-08-01

    Fuel Cells are often considered in the market place as just power providers. Whilst fuel cells do provide power, there are additional beneficial characteristics that should be highlighted to consumers. Due to the high price premiums associated with fuel cells, added value features need to be exploited in order to make them more appealing and increase unit sales and market penetration. This paper looks at the approach taken by two companies to sell high value fuel cells to niche markets. The first, SFC Energy, has a proven track record selling fuel cell power providers. The second, Bloom Energy, is making significant progress in the US by having sold its Energy Server to more than 40 corporations including Wal-Mart, Staples, Google, eBay and Apple. Further to these current markets, two prospective added value applications for fuel cells are discussed. These are fuel cells for aircraft APUs and fuel cells for fire prevention. These two existing markets and two future markets highlight that fuel cells are not just power providers. Rather, they can be used as solutions to many needs, thus being more cost effective by replacing a number of incumbent systems at the same time.

  15. Analysis of Added Value of Subscores with Respect to Classification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinharay, Sandip

    2014-01-01

    Brennan noted that users of test scores often want (indeed, demand) that subscores be reported, along with total test scores, for diagnostic purposes. Haberman suggested a method based on classical test theory (CTT) to determine if subscores have added value over the total score. One way to interpret the method is that a subscore has added value…

  16. Cost-savings accruable to removing value added tax from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Varsha Bangalee

    added tax (VAT), regardless of their therapeutic value in the private healthcare sector of. South Africa. ..... addition, removing VAT on selective medicines, such as essential ... through increased taxes on unhealthy consumption patterns.

  17. Diagnostic and Value-Added Assessment of Business Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraser, Linda; Harich, Katrin; Norby, Joni; Brzovic, Kathy; Rizkallah, Teeanna; Loewy, Dana

    2005-01-01

    To assess students' business writing abilities upon entry into the business program and exit from the capstone course, a multitiered assessment package was developed that measures students' achievement of specific learning outcomes and provides "value-added" scores. The online segment of the test measures five competencies across three process…

  18. Reflections on the added value of using mixed methods in the SCAPE study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Kathy; Casey, Dympna; Devane, Declan; Meskell, Pauline; Higgins, Agnes; Elliot, Naomi; Lalor, Joan; Begley, Cecily

    2014-03-01

    To reflect on the added value that a mixed method design gave in a large national evaluation study of specialist and advanced practice (SCAPE), and to propose a reporting guide that could help make explicit the added value of mixed methods in other studies. Recently, researchers have focused on how to carry out mixed methods research (MMR) rigorously. The value-added claims for MMR include the capacity to exploit the strengths and compensate for weakness inherent in single designs, generate comprehensive description of phenomena, produce more convincing results for funders or policy-makers and build methodological expertise. Data illustrating value added claims were drawn from the SCAPE study. Studies about the purpose of mixed methods were identified from a search of literature. The authors explain why and how they undertook components of the study, and propose a guideline to facilitate such studies. If MMR is to become the third methodological paradigm, then articulation of what extra benefit MMR adds to a study is essential. The authors conclude that MMR has added value and found the guideline useful as a way of making value claims explicit. The clear articulation of the procedural aspects of mixed-methods research, and identification of a guideline to facilitate such research, will enable researchers to learn more effectively from each other.

  19. Intellectual Capital Approach to Modern Management through the Perspective of a Company’s Value Added

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simona Survilaitė

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The importance of value creation in small and medium-sized business companies has always been in focus. The changing environment makes a strong impact on all companies all over the world. Nowadays, the value added, which is created by the company, not only depends on tangible but also on intangible assets. It is not enough just to manage internal resources to be efficient or generate high value added. Knowledge and information as an important tool for the management of the external environment have become a new factor of a company. Since elements of the intellectual capital system are intangible and hardly measurable in company’s value added, this paper aims to create a model for the analysis of the creation of a company’s value added through intellectual capital. Subsequent to the review of literature on value creation and management, the authors proposed a model for value creation through intermediate, which presented three main elements of value added creation.

  20. Motivation and Organizational Behavior. Staff between Value Added and ConflictGenerating Losses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mircea A. Udrescu

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In an organization work together two categories of motivations, the organization's management and the employees' one, the workers' one. It is often stated that the competitive added value has the particular way in which the employees are motivated and also their skills within the organization. The authors believe that the added value in a competitive market is the result of the synergy of the two types of motivations, the entrepreneurial and managerial ones and employee's own motivation. In situations where a synergy between the interests of workers and the organization's ones, the global interests of the company's is characterized by continuous growth of value added, while lack of motivation generates unequivocally conflicting states that diminishes the aspects of the outcome activities quality.

  1. A step-by-step plan to manage and measure adding value by FM/CREM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Voordt, Theo; Jensen, Per Anker; Hoendervanger, Jan Gerard; Bergsma, Feike; Nielsen, Susanne Balslev; Jensen, Per Anker

    Purpose: To present a new Value Adding Management model in order to support decision makers in identifying appropriate interventions to add value to the organisation, to manage its implementation, and to measure the output and outcomes. Theory: The paper builds on value adding management theories

  2. MODELS OF APPLICATION ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED IN AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva MALICHOVA

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Enterprises are currently trying to bring new technologies into production and use new procedures and recommendations in various management activities. However, they should not forget to change their approach to the evaluation of the results achieved and focus on the use of modern methods of performance evaluation and prove to apply them in their enterprises. The aim of this paper is to point out several variants of the calculation of Economic value added (EVA indicator, define the possibilities to apply EVA methods to the conditions of enterprises in the Slovak Republic and the need to adjust data providing financial statements and data for current accounts. Application of economic value added should be able to contribute to changes in the views of the owners and managers of enterprises in the Slovak republic for use not only as financial indicators.

  3. REGIONAL CHAINS OF ADDED VALUE AS A TOOL OF INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION- COMPETITIVENESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. E. Guliyev

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. The infrastructural aspects of integrated interaction and factors impacting on the efficiency increase of regional participation  in the creation of added value chains on the example of cooperation  between developed and developing countries during the  implementation of joint production projects are considered.Methods. A factor analysis of the degree of various countries’ involvement into global added value chains is carried out,  taking into account their geographical location, natural resources and openness of markets, as well as the infrastructure, professional knowledge of the workforce, practice of cooperation of  domestic firms with foreign partners and the attractiveness of their investment climate.Results. An evaluation of the integrated potential of individual countries, which could undertake the functions of  integrators and mediators within the implementation of regional  programmes of social and economic development, is presented. The  growth potential is estimated and the role of global creation chains  of added value (AVC revealed as a tool for increasing the  competitiveness of national trade policies. It is determined that,  when adopting the latest technologies, companies strive to geographically approximate the placement of the middle links of added value chains to specialised suppliers, “smart” consumers and scientific centres as a means of maintaining innovation continuity.Conclusion. The countries of the EEU and the CIS have significant potential for developing cooperation in the field of  transition to a model of new economic growth, as well as in the  development and application of regional added value chains. As well  as the extractive sector of the economy of the EEU and CIS  countries, included in the regional added value chains, agriculture, chemical and textile industries, metallurgy, transport  engineering, and services sector have the potential to be key

  4. Value-Added Taxes, Chain Effects, and Informality

    OpenAIRE

    Áureo de Paula; Jose A. Scheinkman

    2010-01-01

    This paper investigates determinants of informal economic activity. We present an equilibrium model of informality and test its implications using a survey of 48,000+ small firms in Brazil. We define informality as tax avoidance; firms in the informal sector avoid tax payments but suffer other limitations. A novel theoretical contribution in this model is the role of value added taxes in transmitting informality. It predicts that the informality of a firm is correlated to the informality of f...

  5. Opportunities for increasing domestic added value ofcocoa through trade regulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bambang Drajat

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The operation of multinational companies on cocoa bean trade in Indonesia related to the liberalization policy on trade and investment in Indonesia permits for multinational companies to operate in Indonesia and liable to buy cocoa bean directly from farmers. The problem encountered is the domestic market liberalization gives rise to changes in market power and results ini the dominant position of multinational companies. This research aimed to (i analyze the impact of the exercise of market power by cocoa multinational company, (ii to analyze the possibility of deregulation of cocoa bean domestic trade, and (iii to estimate the potential increase in added value of cocoa down-stream industry as a result of deregulation. Some steps of research conducted includes (i desk research, (ii field survey by interviewing samples of farmers, traders, exporters, processors, as well as other business participants, (iii special interviews with key persons related to regulation as well as deregulation of domestic trade and down-stream industry development, and (iv focussed group discussion involving related stakeholders of cocoa. The results showed that the impact of the exercise of market power by multinational companies refers to the decreasing market shares of national companies from 2007 to 2009. Based on the market power domination of multinational companies in one side and the lack of down-stream industry development in the other side, there is a possibility to deregulate the above policy by continuing the new regulation (export tax of cocoa beans, directing multinational exporters toward downstream industry by partnership with domestic-idle capacity processing industry and import tariff escalation for processed cocoa. By the new regulation, the opportunity to increase domestic added value becomes greater. This cocoa down-stream industry development will increase the potential domestic added value at least 10%. Key words : Liberalization, deregulation

  6. Mapping value added positions in facilities management by using a product-process matrix

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katchamart, Akarapong

    2013-01-01

    Purpose – The purpose of this exploratory research paper is to present a product-process matrix that assists FM organizations and their stakeholders to map their value added position in their organizations. Using this matrix, FM practitioners are able to assess the existing value added delivering...... of the matrix are an FM product structure and an FM process structure. The supporting empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews from selected FM organizations supplemented by relevant documents. Findings – Based on a product-process matrix, a typology of FM value added positions...... greater values to the client’s core business. Meanwhile, misaligning dilutes the value delivery. Research limitations/implications – This normative matrix can be used as a decision-making tool for a client to assess its FM performances and activities, and to determine the needs of FM provision...

  7. Commercial Demonstration of Wood Recovery, Recycling, and Value Adding Technologies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Auburn Machinery, Inc.

    2004-07-15

    This commercial demonstration project demonstrated the technical feasibility of converting low-value, underutilized and waste stream solid wood fiber material into higher valued products. With a growing need to increase product/production yield and reduce waste in most sawmills, few recovery operations and practically no data existed to support the viability of recovery operations. Prior to our efforts, most all in the forest products industry believed that recovery was difficult, extremely labor intensive, not cost effective, and that recovered products had low value and were difficult to sell. This project provided an opportunity for many within the industry to see through demonstration that converting waste stream material into higher valued products does in fact offer a solution. Our work, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, throughout the project aimed to demonstrate a reasonable approach to reducing the millions of recoverable solid wood fiber tons that are annually treated as and converted into low value chips, mulch and fuel. Consequently sawmills continue to suffer from reduced availability of forest resources, higher raw material costs, growing waste disposal problems, increased global competition, and more pressure to operate in an Environmentally Friendly manner. It is our belief (based upon the experience of this project) that the successful mainstreaming of the recovery concept would assist in alleviating this burden as well as provide for a realistically achievable economic benefit to those who would seriously pursue the concept and tap into the rapidly growing ''GREEN'' building marketplace. Ultimately, with participation and aggressive pursuit of the recovery concept, the public would benefit in that: (1) Landfill/disposal waste volume could be reduced adding greater life to existing municipal landfill sites thereby minimizing the need to prematurely license and open added facilities. Also, there would be a cost

  8. Raman Lidar Profiles–Temperature (RLPROFTEMP) Value-Added Product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Newsom, RK; Sivaraman, C; McFarlane, SA

    2012-10-31

    The purpose of this document is to describe the Raman Lidar Profiles–Temperature (RLPROFTEMP) value-added product (VAP) and the procedures used to derive atmospheric temperature profiles from the raw RL measurements. Sections 2 and 4 describe the input and output variables, respectively. Section 3 discusses the theory behind the measurement and the details of the algorithm, including calibration and overlap correction.

  9. Study of activity based costing implementation for palm oil production using value-added and non-value-added activity consideration in PT XYZ palm oil mill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sembiring, M. T.; Wahyuni, D.; Sinaga, T. S.; Silaban, A.

    2018-02-01

    Cost allocation at manufacturing industry particularly in Palm Oil Mill still widely practiced based on estimation. It leads to cost distortion. Besides, processing time determined by company is not in accordance with actual processing time in work station. Hence, the purpose of this study is to eliminates non-value-added activities therefore processing time could be shortened and production cost could be reduced. Activity Based Costing Method is used in this research to calculate production cost with Value Added and Non-Value-Added Activities consideration. The result of this study is processing time decreasing for 35.75% at Weighting Bridge Station, 29.77% at Sorting Station, 5.05% at Loading Ramp Station, and 0.79% at Sterilizer Station. Cost of Manufactured for Crude Palm Oil are IDR 5.236,81/kg calculated by Traditional Method, IDR 4.583,37/kg calculated by Activity Based Costing Method before implementation of Activity Improvement and IDR 4.581,71/kg after implementation of Activity Improvement Meanwhile Cost of Manufactured for Palm Kernel are IDR 2.159,50/kg calculated by Traditional Method, IDR 4.584,63/kg calculated by Activity Based Costing Method before implementation of Activity Improvement and IDR 4.582,97/kg after implementation of Activity Improvement.

  10. Value Adding Space Management in Higher Education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tinsfeldt, Mette; Jensen, Per Anker

    2014-01-01

    Purpose : Develop a methodology for space optimisation in educational facilities, that can add value to organisations with particular focus on gymnasiums in Denmark. Background : Gymnasiums are pre-university higher educational institutions, which in 2007 went from being state-owned to being self...... evaluation of the combined use of POE and USEtool and represents an original contribution to the development of knowledge and methodology of value adding space management.......Purpose : Develop a methodology for space optimisation in educational facilities, that can add value to organisations with particular focus on gymnasiums in Denmark. Background : Gymnasiums are pre-university higher educational institutions, which in 2007 went from being state-owned to being self......-governing. Many older gymnasiums face the challenge that the institutions’ buildings and spaces are unsuitable to support modern teaching methods. A space optimisation process can help overcome some of these challenges as long as it makes use of a holistic analysis, is related to the strategic objectives...

  11. New growing media and value added organic waste processing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blok, C.; Rijpsma, E.; Ketelaars, J.J.M.H.

    2016-01-01

    Public pressure to use peat alternatives in horticultural rooting media offers room for the re-use of local organic waste materials. The re-use of organic wastes requires value added processing such as composting, co-composting, digestion, fractioning/sieving, pressing, binding, stabilising by

  12. Requirements for Logical Models for Value-Added Tax Legislation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Morten Ib; Simonsen, Jakob Grue; Larsen, Ken Friis

    Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are ubiquitous in commercial enterprises of all sizes and invariably need to account for the notion of value-added tax (VAT). The legal and technical difficulties in handling VAT are exacerbated by spanning a broad and chaotic spectrum of intricate country...

  13. Forecasting value added of agricultural sub-sectors during fourth five-year development plan in iran

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nassabian, S.

    2009-01-01

    This article focuses on forecasting the values added of agricultural sub-sectors, including agronomy, fishing, forestry, animal husbandry and agricultural services, using the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) model. It compares the resulting figures with the target estimates throughout the plan within the years 1384-1388 (2005-2009). It turns out that the forecasted values added in the sub-sectors of agronomy and agricultural services are higher and slower than the estimated values added required due to the plan, respectively. Also the high conformity of the estimated and forecasted value added on the horizon of the fourth five-year plan, while the other sub-sectors both the values are close to each other. The results indicate that the capability of ANN method for forecasting variables is more suitable than the other methods. (author)

  14. Tax expenditures and the efficiency of Croatian value added tax

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petar Sopek

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The main aim of this paper is to provide a systematic overview of value added taxation in Croatia along with main changes in relevant legislation and to estimate total amount of tax expenditures. Results show that the proportion of tax expenditures in GDP in Croatia in 2010 amounted to less than 4%, a proportion lower than in any of the EU new member states, as well as almost twice as low as the EU-27 average. It can be concluded that the Croatian value added taxation system is efficient in this way, as was additionally shown by an analysis according to which Croatia in 2010 had better efficiency indicators than all the observed EU member states. The Croatian VAT system is mainly harmonized with EU directives, but abolition of the zero rate is still expected; this will increase government revenue by approximately 0.4-0.8% of GDP, depending on a chosen scenario. It has been suggested that a detailed analysis of the overall value added taxation system should be initiated, with the aim of optimizing cost-benefits. The main focus should be placed on the determination of the optimal VAT registration threshold, the costs and benefits of the introduced reliefs and exemptions in the tax system and the potential effects of the repeal of the zero rate.

  15. A step-by-step plan to manage and measure adding value by FM/CREM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van der Voordt, Theo; Jensen, Per Anker; Hoendervanger, Jan Gerard

    2016-01-01

    Purpose To present a new Value Adding Management model in order to support decision makers in identifying appropriate interventions to add value to the organisation, to manage its implementation, and to measure the output and outcomes. Theory The paper builds on value adding management theories...... different European countries present a state of the art of theory and research on 12 value parameters, how to manage and measure each value, and to discuss the costs and benefits of typical FM and CREM interventions to enhance satisfaction, image, culture, health and safety, productivity, adaptability...... and models including the triplet input-throughput-output, a distinction between output, outcome and added value, the Plan-Do-Act-Check cycle, change management and performance measurement. Design/methodology/approach Literature review and a cross-chapter analysis of a forthcoming book, where authors from...

  16. Value Adding Management of buildings and facility services in four steps

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van der Voordt, Theo; Jensen, Per Anker; Hoendervanger, Jan Gerard

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a new Value Adding Management (VAM) model that aims to support decision makers in identifying appropriate interventions in buildings, other facilities and services that add value to the organisation, to manage its implementation, and to measure the output and outcomes. The pap...

  17. Value Added Services and Adoption of Mobile Payments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Augsburg, Christel; Hedman, Jonas

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we investigate the role of Value Added Services (VAS) in consumers’ adoption of mobile payments. VAS are supplementary digital services offered in connection with mobile payments; in this study exemplified by receipts, loyalty cards, and coupons. A research model is derived from...... that intention to adopt mobile payments increases as VAS are introduced and that this increase comes from a positive change in Perceived Usefulness, compatibility, and Convenience....

  18. Using a 'value-added' approach for contextual design of geographic information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Andrew J

    2013-11-01

    The aim of this article is to demonstrate how a 'value-added' approach can be used for user-centred design of geographic information. An information science perspective was used, with value being the difference in outcomes arising from alternative information sets. Sixteen drivers navigated a complex, unfamiliar urban route, using visual and verbal instructions representing the distance-to-turn and junction layout information presented by typical satellite navigation systems. Data measuring driving errors, navigation errors and driver confidence were collected throughout the trial. The results show how driver performance varied considerably according to the geographic context at specific locations, and that there are specific opportunities to add value with enhanced geographical information. The conclusions are that a value-added approach facilitates a more explicit focus on 'desired' (and feasible) levels of end user performance with different information sets, and is a potentially effective approach to user-centred design of geographic information. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  19. The Politics and Statistics of Value-Added Modeling for Accountability of Teacher Preparation Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lincove, Jane Arnold; Osborne, Cynthia; Dillon, Amanda; Mills, Nicholas

    2014-01-01

    Despite questions about validity and reliability, the use of value-added estimation methods has moved beyond academic research into state accountability systems for teachers, schools, and teacher preparation programs (TPPs). Prior studies of value-added measurement for TPPs test the validity of researcher-designed models and find that measuring…

  20. IS THE VALUE ADDED TAX A SUPERIOR SALES TAX IN ALL SALES TAXES?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MUSTAFA ALİ SARILI

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Value Added Tax (VAT is a tax imposed on the value added to a product at each stage of the production and distribution process. Value added is never taxed twice under VAT and thus cascading (tax on tax effects do not occur. It is a single tax on goods and services but the tax is collected multiple stages. At each of these stages, the amount of tax payable is computed by subtracting the tax previously paid on purchases from the tax charged on sales by the traders for each taxation period. In last three decades, VAT, a relatively new and better commodity taxation, has been introduced in many countries. It has replaced different types of sales taxes in such countries. This article attempts to evaluate VAT by comparing with other sales taxes.

  1. Understanding the value added to clinical care by educational activities. Value of Education Research Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogrinc, G S; Headrick, L A; Boex, J R

    1999-10-01

    In an era of competition in health care delivery, those who pay for care are interested in supporting primarily those activities that add value to the clinical enterprise. The authors report on their 1998 project to develop a conceptual model for assessing the value added to clinical care by educational activities. Through interviews, nine key stakeholders in patient care identified five ways in which education might add value to clinical care: education can foster higher-quality care, improve work satisfaction of clinicians, have trainees provide direct clinical services, improve recruitment and retention of clinicians, and contribute to the future of health care. With this as a base, an expert panel of 13 clinical educators and investigators defined six perspectives from which the value of education in clinical care might be studied: the perspectives of health-care-oriented organizations, clinician-teachers, patients, education organizations, learners, and the community. The panel adapted an existing model to create the "Education Compass" to portray education's effects on clinical care, and developed a new set of definitions and research questions for each of the four major aspects of the model (clinical, functional, satisfaction, and cost). Working groups next drafted proposals to address empirically those questions, which were critiqued at a national conference on the topic of education's value in clinical care. The next step is to use the methods developed in this project to empirically assess the value added by educational activities to clinical care.

  2. Organic Aerosol Component (OACOMP) Value-Added Product Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fast, J; Zhang, Q; Tilp, A; Shippert, T; Parworth, C; Mei, F

    2013-08-23

    Significantly improved returns in their aerosol chemistry data can be achieved via the development of a value-added product (VAP) of deriving OA components, called Organic Aerosol Components (OACOMP). OACOMP is primarily based on multivariate analysis of the measured organic mass spectral matrix. The key outputs of OACOMP are the concentration time series and the mass spectra of OA factors that are associated with distinct sources, formation and evolution processes, and physicochemical properties.

  3. The wood industry in Atlantic Canada: A focus on value-added

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1998-11-01

    This report prepared by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in consultation with the four Atlantic provinces focuses on the value-added aspects of the wood products industry in Atlantic Canada. It also examines the state of the resource, the state of the industry, productivity and economic benefits, products and markets, trade and regulations, and needs, challenges and targets. The analysis was undertaken to determine the possibility of further utilization of forest resources in the region for value-added products, and to assess the possibilities for the wood products industry of Atlantic Canada exploring world markets for its products. The inventory of resources found 1.4 billion cubic meter of wood-growing productive forest land in the region, with softwoods accounting for 76 per cent of the forests. Concern was expressed about forest stands at regeneration levels. Total Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) for the Atlantic Provinces in 1995 was almost 20 million cubic meter, approximately 10 per cent of the national total. Although total harvests are below the AAC for the region, softwood harvesting in 1994 and in 1995 was well above the AAC. The analysis concluded that given the current level of harvesting, sustained growth in Atlantic Canada's wood industries will have to rely on access to external fibre sources and better use of the existing fibre source. At the same time, since many value-added manufacturers in the region rely on imported wood resources, the health of the value-added wood industry does not appear to be completely dependent on the sustainability of forest resources in the Atlantic region. Part Two of the report provides an economic profile of the industry, including brief reviews on employment, wages and salaries, exports and imports, transportation, education and training, research and technology and marketing. refs., tabs

  4. Análise Financeira pelo Método: Economic Value Added - EVA e Market Value Added

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valdenir Menegat

    2003-11-01

    Full Text Available O presente artigo se propõe se propõe a apresentar a ferramenta de análise denominada Economic Value Added - EVA, fazer um breve relato de seu surgimento, evolução e evidenciar através de exemplos didáticos o porque de seu sucesso como instrumento de análise empresarial, tornando-se para algumas empresas uma filosofia de gestão norteadora das decisões. Toda sua base teórica está embasada no valor econômico agregado ou adicionado para o acionista, deixando de lado a idéia de gestão com base apenas no resultado, mas no resultado com valor agregado para aquele que investiu seu capital na empresa e dela espera o retorno capaz de suprir sua expectativa que o motivou a empregar seu dinheiro na empresa e não em outra opção do mercado.

  5. The concept of added value of FM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; van der Voordt, Theo; Coenen, Christian

    2012-01-01

    Management (CREM) and Business to Business Marketing (B2B Marketing). Findings: The research shows different definitions and focus points, dependent on the academic field and the area of application. The different research perspectives explored a holistic view on the added value of FM by the integration...... of an external market based view (with a focus on the aimed output) and the internal resource based view (with a focus on the input from FM and real estate). Good relationship management and building on trust shows to be equally important as delivering the agreed services. Practical implications: A clear...

  6. Exploring the potential uses of value-added metrics in the context of postgraduate medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregory, Simon; Patterson, Fiona; Baron, Helen; Knight, Alec; Walsh, Kieran; Irish, Bill; Thomas, Sally

    2016-10-01

    Increasing pressure is being placed on external accountability and cost efficiency in medical education and training internationally. We present an illustrative data analysis of the value-added of postgraduate medical education. We analysed historical selection (entry) and licensure (exit) examination results for trainees sitting the UK Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) licensing examination (N = 2291). Selection data comprised: a clinical problem solving test (CPST); a situational judgement test (SJT); and a selection centre (SC). Exit data was an applied knowledge test (AKT) from MRCGP. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses were used to model differences in attainment in the AKT based on performance at selection (the value-added score). Results were aggregated to the regional level for comparisons. We discovered significant differences in the value-added score between regional training providers. Whilst three training providers confer significant value-added, one training provider was significantly lower than would be predicted based on the attainment of trainees at selection. Value-added analysis in postgraduate medical education potentially offers useful information, although the methodology is complex, controversial, and has significant limitations. Developing models further could offer important insights to support continuous improvement in medical education in future.

  7. Practical aspects of value added tax in the agricultural enterprises in the EU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danuše Nerudová

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Tax policy represents one of the EU integration policies. The aim of the tax policy is to remove the national differences in taxation systems by withdrawing the obstacles to the competition and free movement of goods, services, people and capital on the internal market. Tax harmonization has the greatest development in the area of value added taxation, but differences still can be found. Those differences influence not only the farming business. The paper is aimed on five EU member states – Czech Republic, Poland, Rumania, Slovak Republic and Hungary. Based on the EU regulations in the area of value added tax and the practical experience during its application, it is possible to identify the critical areas and to contribute to its correction and to provide the value added tax neutrality and efficiency on the EU territory.

  8. Evaluation of Value Added Tax Application Problems in Terms of Taxation of Electronic Commerce

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Güneş ÇETİN GERGER

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays electronic taxation is being one of the important issues for revenue administrations. Tax administrations try to organize their tax system fairly and give attention on equity. Value added tax is most preferable taxes among the consumption taxes. Because it’s application is easy and taxpayers don’t show resistance to the value added tax. On electronic commerce value added taxes are using commonly. To provide equity in taxation, some taxation principles are adapted for value added taxes too. In this paper, we are trying to analyze the development of e-commerce in the world and e-taxation regulations and problems in the European Union (EU and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD countries. The EU and OECD countries are making regulations in this issue. The last regulation is Base Erosion and Profit Shifting 15 point action plan in 2014. Taxation of the digital economy is the first action plan. In addition this, some regulations about taxation of digital economy are being done in Turkey in the case of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting action plan.

  9. Adding more value to added-value

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marian, Livia

    Recent studies reveal that consumers respond favourably to “organic plus” products with additional ethical attributes. The aim of the current study is to explore whether consumers would notice and value further improvements in the animal welfare standards than those imposed by the organic...... regulation. The results of a qualitative concept test reveal positive attitudes towards the proposed production process. The discussions about fewer standards being sufficient or about options “in-between” conventional and organic standards indicate that the difference in production processes is noticed, yet...

  10. Determinants of value added tax revenue in Kenya

    OpenAIRE

    WAWIRE, Nelson

    2017-01-01

    Abstract. Past studies that have been undertaken on the responsiveness of Value Added Tax revenues to changes in GDP in Kenya have found a positive relationship. However, the studies omit key determinants of tax revenues, such as the nature of the tax system, institutional, demographic and structural features of the economy. Due to this omission, the estimated income elasticities are unreliable for planning purposes, a situation that might be responsible for the recurring budget deficits. The...

  11. Value added based on educational positions in Dutch secondary education

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Timmermans, Anneke C.; Bosker, Roel J.; de Wolf, Inge F.; Doolaard, Simone; van der Werf, Margaretha P.C.

    2014-01-01

    Estimating added value as an indicator of school effectiveness in the context of educational accountability often occurs using test or examination scores of students. This study investigates the possibilities of using scores for educational positions as an alternative indicator. A number of

  12. PDF added value of a high resolution climate simulation for precipitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, Pedro M. M.; Cardoso, Rita M.

    2015-04-01

    General Circulation Models (GCMs) are models suitable to study the global atmospheric system, its evolution and response to changes in external forcing, namely to increasing emissions of CO2. However, the resolution of GCMs, of the order of 1o, is not sufficient to reproduce finer scale features of the atmospheric flow related to complex topography, coastal processes and boundary layer processes, and higher resolution models are needed to describe observed weather and climate. The latter are known as Regional Climate Models (RCMs) and are widely used to downscale GCMs results for many regions of the globe and are able to capture physically consistent regional and local circulations. Most of the RCMs evaluations rely on the comparison of its results with observations, either from weather stations networks or regular gridded datasets, revealing the ability of RCMs to describe local climatic properties, and assuming most of the times its higher performance in comparison with the forcing GCMs. The additional climatic details given by RCMs when compared with the results of the driving models is usually named as added value, and it's evaluation is still scarce and controversial in the literuature. Recently, some studies have proposed different methodologies to different applications and processes to characterize the added value of specific RCMs. A number of examples reveal that some RCMs do add value to GCMs in some properties or regions, and also the opposite, elighnening that RCMs may add value to GCM resuls, but improvements depend basically on the type of application, model setup, atmospheric property and location. The precipitation can be characterized by histograms of daily precipitation, or also known as probability density functions (PDFs). There are different strategies to evaluate the quality of both GCMs and RCMs in describing the precipitation PDFs when compared to observations. Here, we present a new method to measure the PDF added value obtained from

  13. Value Added Elements According to Buyer Companies in a B2B Context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Battaglia

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyses how buyer companies perceive the value added to products and services offered by their suppliers and identifies the predominant elements that affect purchasing decisions and establishment of relationships between companies in a B2B context. A multiple case study was developed in 12 buyer companies from three industrial segments in southern Brazil: metal-mechanics, furniture and foods. The findings show that for supplier companies in the metal-mechanics industry to add value, they must identify buyers’ needs, develop technology/innovation, be focused on competitive aspects, keep control of the supply chain, provide different purchasing channels, develop partnerships, and adapt to cultural aspects. Companies in the food industry consider the model for creating value to adapt to meet customer needs, the effective use of purchasing channels, functionality of products, and technical knowledge. The companies in the furniture industry value the methods that suppliers use to capture and implement required changes, effective control of the supply chain, and the representativeness of the suppliers’ brand in the market. This study captures the perception of buyer companies in relation to predominant value-adding elements and could guide decisions for the adoption of managerial actions by supplier companies focused on adding value.

  14. Value-added beef products (Productos Carnicos con Valor Agregado)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mac Donaldson; Will Holder; Jan Holder

    2006-01-01

    I'm speaking for Will and Jan Holder, who couldn't be here. I happen to be familiar with Will and Jan's company, Ervin's Natural Beef, and its program because I've sold them cattle. Will and Jan's value-added beef program is based on their family ranch in the area known as The Blue, in the mountains of eastern Arizona.

  15. 'Ecological value added' in an integrated ecosystem-economy model. An indicator for sustainability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kratena, Kurt

    2004-01-01

    This paper sets up an input-output system of the relevant ecosystem flows that determine the carbon cycle in the global ecosystem. Introducing energy as the value added component in the ecosystem allows to calculate ecosystem prices expressed in 'energy values'. Linking the ecosystem with the economy in an integrated input-output model then allows to calculate prices of economic activities and of ecosystem activities. In analogy to the 'Ecological Footprint', where productive land is needed to absorb anthropogenic emissions, in this integrated input-output model additional carbon sinks are introduced for emission absorption. These carbon sinks need solar energy input, i.e. 'ecological value added'. Emission absorption as well as GDP therefore become activities valued in the numeraire of the integrated system, i.e.'energy values'. From that sustainability indicators can be derived

  16. Building for a better hospital. Value-adding management & design of healthcare real estate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan van der Zwart

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Recent deregulation of laws on hospital real estate in the Netherlands implies that healthcare institutions have more opportunities to make independent accommodation choices, but at the same time have themselves become responsible for the risks associated with the investment. In addition, accommodation costs have become an integral part of the costs of healthcare. This sheds new light on the alignment between the organisation of healthcare and accommodation: care institutions themselves bear the risk of recouping their investment in real estate and high accommodation costs lead to higher rates for healthcare compared to competing institutions. In this thesis, the ideas and concepts of Corporate Real Estate Management 
(CREM are examined in terms of the contribution they could make to the process
of accommodation decision by using recent cases in Dutch hospitals. CREM can be defined as the management of the real estate portfolio of a corporation by aligning the portfolio and services with the needs of the core business in order to obtain maximum added value for the business and an optimal contribution to the overall performance of the organisation. This definition assumes that accommodation can add value to the organisation and contribute to its overall achievement. Elaborating on the added value of real estate in addition to quantifying these added values and making them applicable to hospital real estate management is therefore central to this study. The added values determine the transition between the different phases in the cycle of the initiation, design, construction and occupancy of the accommodation. In addition, the added value of real estate functions as a common language between the disciplines involved in the design and construction of hospital accommodation, such as the healthcare institution, healthcare manager, real estate manager and architect. In four sub-studies (1 Context, (2 Management, (3 Value and, (4 Design several

  17. Added clinical value of the inferior temporal EEG electrode chain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bach Justesen, Anders; Eskelund Johansen, Ann Berit; Martinussen, Noomi Ida

    2018-01-01

    Objective To investigate the diagnostic added value of supplementing the 10–20 EEG array with six electrodes in the inferior temporal chain. Methods EEGs were recorded with 25 electrodes: 19 positions of the 10–20 system, and six additional electrodes in the inferior temporal chain (F9/10, T9/10, P...... in the inferior chain) and 6% (only seen at the inferior chain). Conclusions Adding six electrodes in the inferior temporal electrode chain to the 10–20 array improves the localization and identification of EEG abnormalities, especially those located in the temporal region. Significance Our results suggest...

  18. Real estate added value and decision-making in hospital infrastructure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van der Zwart, J.

    2011-01-01

    This paper explores the concept of adding value to corporate performance by real estate, and how this concept could be applied in decision-making processes for new hospital infrastructure. A literature review forms the starting point for interviews carried out with hospitals‘ CEOs on how real estate

  19. Value-Added Products from FGD Sulfite-Rich Scrubber Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vivak Malhotra

    2010-01-31

    According to the American Coal Ash Association, about 29.25 million tons of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) byproducts were produced in the USA in 2003. Out of 29.25 million tons, 17.35 million tons were sulfite-rich scrubber materials. At present, unlike its cousin FGD gypsum, the prospect for effective utilization of sulfite-rich scrubber materials is not bright. In fact, almost 16.9 million tons are leftover every year. In our pursuit to mitigate the liability of sulfite-rich FGD scrubber materials' disposal, we are attempting to develop value-added products that can commercially compete. More specifically, for this Innovative Concept Phase I project, we have the following objectives: to characterize the sulfite-rich scrubber material for toxic metals; to optimize the co-blending and processing of scrubber material and natural byproducts; to formulate and develop structural composites from sulfite-rich scrubber material; and to evaluate the composites' mechanical properties and compare them with current products on the market. After successfully demonstrating the viability of our research, a more comprehensive approach will be proposed to take these value-added materials to fruition.

  20. VALUE-ADDED TAX AND ITS EFFICIENCY: EU–28 AND TURKEY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabina Hodzic

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyses value-added tax (VAT, with special emphasis on efficiency in the EU-28 Member States and Turkey, over the period from 2009 to 2013. From the results of the analysis, we concluded that, the highest efficiency ratio (50.8 was recorded in Croatia in 2013. This indicates that Croatia’s value-added tax revenues as percentage of gross domestic product in the state budget were very high (12.7 in comparison to Turkey’s (9.0 in 2013. As such, VAT is one of the most important taxes in the EU-28 Member States and many countries worldwide, like Turkey. The current VAT system in EU-28 Member States and Turkey is quite complex for the growing number of businesses operating cross-border. To increase investment, competitiveness and growth, an action plan on VAT is proposed for the creation of a single VAT area. The VAT system needs to be more efficient and simpler for businesses to use.

  1. Value Adding Management (VAM) of buildings and facility services in four steps

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Voordt, Theo; Hoendervanger, Jan Gerard; Jensen, Per Anker; Bergsma, Feike

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a new Value Adding Management (VAM) model that aims to support decision makers in identifying appropriate interventions in buildings, other facilities and services that add value to the organisation, to manage its implementation, and to measure the output and outcomes. The paper

  2. The value added of accountancy programs: a study in the Southeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvana Cristina dos Santos

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the accounting profession has gone through different changes. The role of accountants in society has evolved, making their function more sophisticated and turning their academic background fundamental to execute tasks in companies. In that context, this paper aims to identify the factors that explain the Value Added of higher education institutions to Accountancy students. Therefore, the results of the specific knowledge test, part of the National Student Performance Examination (Enade 2009, were used, based on a sample of 251 Accountancy programs from the Southeast. In the empirical analysis of the data, descriptive statistics and the linear regression model were used. Based on the valued added method, the Production Function theory was applied, controlling for the students’ individual and socioeconomic characteristics. The results suggest that the main determinants of the Value Added are as follows: the existence of a teaching plan, the number of students receiving grants and the size of the student group.

  3. Revenue-sharing analysis in the mobile value-added services

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LIU Bing; TANG Shou-lian

    2006-01-01

    This article provides a framework e within which the revenue-sharing in mobile value-added services can be analyzed.It shows that the revenue-sharing ratio between a network operator and a content provider (CP) has no significant effect on prices, market shares or social welfare in the case of nonstandardization. This implies that the revenue-sharing ratio cannot be used as a policy variable.

  4. Misreporting in the Value-Added Tax and the Optimal Enforcement

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoseini, M.

    2014-01-01

    A common fraud by registered traders in the value-added tax system is under-reporting sales and over-reporting purchases. This paper models this problem by linking the level of misreporting to the risk-aversion of taxpayers and the level of transactions with final consumers. In addition, it analyses

  5. PENILAIAN KINERJA KEUANGAN PT. BANK MUAMALAT INDONESIA, TBK DENGAN METODE ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fathia Ahya Nur Iman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study to determine the financial performance with the use of the EVA method to the assessment of the performance of PT Bank Mualamat Indonesia Tbk in the period 2010 - 2014. The research method used is quantitative descriptive method using Economic Value Added (EVA, which is an analytical method for evaluating the performance a company to take measurements of the profits (value economically produced by the company during the period (period of time specific. The results show the value of Bank Muamalat EVA is negative, meaning that Bank Muamalat in the year 2010- 2014 can not create value-added enterprise or net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT produced by the company is not able to finance or cover all capital costs or expenses incurred. In 2014 the value of EVA Bank Muamalat increasing, although still negative.

  6. Implementation of whole slide imaging in surgical pathology: A value added approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mike Isaacs

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Whole slide imaging (WSI makes it possible to capture images of an entire histological slide. WSI has established roles in surgical pathology, including support of off-site frozen section interpretation, primary diagnosis, educational activities, and laboratory quality assurance (QA activities. Analyses of the cost of WSI have traditionally been based solely on direct costs and diagnostic accuracy; however, these types of analyses largely ignore workflow and cost issues that arise as a result of redundancy, the need for additional staffing, and customized software development when WSI is integrated into routine diagnostic surgical pathology. The pre-scan, scan, and post-scan costs; quality control and QA costs; and IT process costs can be significant, and consequently, pathology groups can find it difficult to perform a realistic cost-benefit analysis of adding WSI to their practice. Materials and Methods: In this paper, we report a "value added" approach developed to guide our decisions regarding integration of WSI into surgical pathology practice. The approach focuses on specific operational measures (cost, time, and enhanced patient care and practice settings (clinical, education, and research to identify routine activities in which the addition of WSI can provide improvements. Results: When applied to our academic pathology group practice, the value added approach resulted in expanded and improved operations, as demonstrated by outcome based measures. Conclusion: A value added can be used to perform a realistic cost-benefit analysis of integrating WSI into routine surgical pathology practice.

  7. Using a Value-Added Approach to Assess the Sociology Major

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedersen, Daphne E.; White, Frank

    2011-01-01

    Universities across the nation have been called upon to provide evidence of student learning through direct means of assessment. Value-added assessment, which aims to document the development of student learning from the beginning of the university experience to the end, has been called "accountability's new frontier" by the American…

  8. Test marketing for value-added root and tuber based products in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Test marketing for value-added root and tuber based products in Ikwuano local government area ... JE Ewuziem, C Aniedu, E Oti, VO Onyenobi ... root and tuber based products, developed at National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike.

  9. How Do Value-Added Indicators Compare to Other Measures of Teacher Effectiveness? What We Know Series: Value-Added Methods and Applications. Knowledge Brief 5

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Douglas N.

    2012-01-01

    In the recent drive to revamp teacher evaluation and accountability, measures of a teacher's value added have played the starring role. But the star of the show is not always the best actor, nor can the star succeed without a strong supporting cast. In assessing teacher performance, observations of classroom practice, portfolios of teachers' work,…

  10. On the added value of forensic science and grand innovation challenges for the forensic community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Asten, Arian C

    2014-03-01

    In this paper the insights and results are presented of a long term and ongoing improvement effort within the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) to establish a valuable innovation programme. From the overall perspective of the role and use of forensic science in the criminal justice system, the concepts of Forensic Information Value Added (FIVA) and Forensic Information Value Efficiency (FIVE) are introduced. From these concepts the key factors determining the added value of forensic investigations are discussed; Evidential Value, Relevance, Quality, Speed and Cost. By unravelling the added value of forensic science and combining this with the future needs and scientific and technological developments, six forensic grand challenges are introduced: i) Molecular Photo-fitting; ii) chemical imaging, profiling and age estimation of finger marks; iii) Advancing Forensic Medicine; iv) Objective Forensic Evaluation; v) the Digital Forensic Service Centre and vi) Real time In-Situ Chemical Identification. Finally, models for forensic innovation are presented that could lead to major international breakthroughs on all these six themes within a five year time span. This could cause a step change in the added value of forensic science and would make forensic investigative methods even more valuable than they already are today. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd on behalf of Forensic Science Society. All rights reserved.

  11. ARM Climate Research Facility Quarterly Value-Added Product Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sivaraman, Chitra

    2014-01-14

    The purpose of this report is to provide a concise status update for value-added products (VAP) implemented by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility. The report is divided into the following sections: (1) new VAPs for which development has begun, (2) progress on existing VAPs, (3) future VAPs that have been recently approved, (4) other work that leads to a VAP, and (5) top requested VAPs from the archive.

  12. Adding Value to Scholarly Journals through a Citation Indexing System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zainab, A. N.; Abrizah, A.; Raj, R. G.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to relate the problems identified about scholarly journal publishing in Malaysia to establish motivation for the system development; to describe the design of MyCite, a Malaysian citation indexing system and to highlight the added value to journals and articles indexed through the generation of bibliometrics…

  13. PREDICTIVE MODEL FOR THE ADDED VALUE OF SULTANA SEEDLESS GRAPE PRODUCTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Umut Burak Geyikci

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Turkey after USA is the second important raisin grape producer by cv “Sultana”in the world (Kara,2014. The Manisa district alone accounts for 31% of totalgrape production and 80% of the whole sultana seedless raisin grape production inTurkey. 95% of total grape output generated in Manisa is made up of Sultanaseedless grape(TUIK, 2012. In thisstudy, the added value of grape production inManisa has been calculated and according to the findings, the per capita addedvalue of grape production has been computed. In order to calculate the addedvalue of grape production in Manisa, costs of labor, fuel, fertilizer, disinfection,hormone, repair and maintenance of the businesses around have been investigated.After calculated costs had been deducted from total business income, the totaladded value of grape production in Manisa and the per capita added valueofgrape production in Manisa were attained The efficiency per hectare in the sampleproduction units, which was investigated during the field research, measures up to26.470 kg. The percentile distributions of cost items at this efficiency level are;27,8% fuel costs, 23,2% fertilizing costs, 19,9% irrigation costs, 11,4%disinfection costs, 7,5% hormone usage costs, 4,6% harvesting and transportingcosts and the rest consists of maintenance costs. When the costs are deducted from income per hectare (11.646 USD, the added value per hectare turns out to be8843 USD

  14. Applying value stream mapping techniques to eliminate non-value-added waste for the procurement of endovascular stents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teichgräber, Ulf K.; Bucourt, Maximilian de

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: To eliminate non-value-adding (NVA) waste for the procurement of endovascular stents in interventional radiology services by applying value stream mapping (VSM). Materials and methods: The Lean manufacturing technique was used to analyze the process of material and information flow currently required to direct endovascular stents from external suppliers to patients. Based on a decision point analysis for the procurement of stents in the hospital, a present state VSM was drawn. After assessment of the current status VSM and progressive elimination of unnecessary NVA waste, a future state VSM was drawn. Results: The current state VSM demonstrated that out of 13 processes for the procurement of stents only 2 processes were value-adding. Out of the NVA processes 5 processes were unnecessary NVA activities, which could be eliminated. The decision point analysis demonstrated that the procurement of stents was mainly a forecast driven push system. The future state VSM applies a pull inventory control system to trigger the movement of a unit after withdrawal by using a consignment stock. Conclusion: VSM is a visualization tool for the supply chain and value stream, based on the Toyota Production System and greatly assists in successfully implementing a Lean system.

  15. Management of west African dwarf goats fed value-added cassava ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The need to assist the rural small ruminant farmers in the proper feeding of their animals brought about the formulation and recommendation of value-added cassava-based diet(s) which the low income rural farmers can adopt for the feeding of their West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. This was premised on the observation of ...

  16. Adding Value to Total Joint Arthroplasty Care in an Academic Environment: The Utah Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelt, Christopher E; Anderson, Mike B; Erickson, Jill A; Gililland, Jeremy M; Peters, Christopher L

    2018-06-01

    Adding value in a university-based academic health care system provides unique challenges when compared to other health care delivery models. Herein, we describe our experience in adding value to joint arthroplasty care at the University of Utah, where the concept of value-based health care reform has become an embraced and driving force. To improve the value, new resources were needed for care redesign, physician leadership, and engagement in alternative payment models. The changes that occurred at our institution are described. Real-time data and knowledgeable personnel working behind the scenes, while physicians provide clinical care, help move clinical pathway redesigns. Engaged physicians are essential to the successful implementation of value creation and care pathway redesign that can lead to improvements in value. An investment of money and resources toward added infrastructure and personnel is often needed to realize large-scale improvements. Alignment of providers, payers, and hospital administration, including by means of gainsharing programs, can lead to improvements. Although significant care pathway redesign efforts may realize substantial initial cost savings, savings may be asymptotic in nature, which calls into question the likely sustainability of programs that incentivize or penalize payments based on historical targets. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Changes of the value added tax in the tax-harmonization process with EC directives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Votavová

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to bring near the topical process of the assimilation the Czech law of value added tax to the EC-directives. The attention will be paid to the development of the harmonization this law in 1993 – 2003 and I will describe and analyse the choice sections of the value added tax law (with the effective date from 1. 5. 2004. I will explain the changes by tax rates.

  18. MR enterography: how to deliver added value

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dillman, Jonathan R.; Trout, Andrew T.; Smith, Ethan A.

    2016-01-01

    MR enterography (MRE) is increasingly vital to the diagnosis and follow-up of children with Crohn disease. This diagnostic test, which can provide valuable information regarding the presence of intestinal inflammation, intestinal and intra-abdominal complications, and extra-intestinal disease-related manifestations, has the potential to directly impact both medical and surgical decision-making. Consequently, it is imperative that the interpretation and reporting of these examinations provide as much clinical information as possible. This article reviews specific ways radiologists can provide added value when interpreting MRE examinations in the setting of pediatric Crohn disease by (1) establishing the true extent of disease involvement, (2) subjectively and objectively assessing response to medical treatment and (3) accurately characterizing disease-related complications. (orig.)

  19. The Added Value of the Project Selection Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adel Oueslati

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The project selection process comes in the first stage of the overall project management life cycle. It does have a very important impact on organization success. The present paper provides defi nitions of the basic concepts and tools related to the project selection process. It aims to stress the added value of this process for the entire organization success. The mastery of the project selection process is the right way for any organization to ensure that it will do the right project with the right resources at the right time and within the right priorities

  20. Value-Added Electricity Services: New Roles for Utilities and Third-Party Providers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blansfield, J. [Inst. for Electric Innovations, Washington, DC (United States); Wood, L. [Inst. for Electric Innovations, Washington, DC (United States); Katofsky, R. [Advanced Energy Economy, Washington, DC (United States); Stafford, B. [Advanced Energy Economy, Washington, DC (United States); Waggoner, D. [Advanced Energy Economy, Washington, DC (United States); Schwartz, L. C. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2017-10-30

    New energy generation, storage, delivery, and end-use technologies support a broad range of value-added electricity services for retail electricity customers. Sophisticated energy management services, distributed generation coupled with storage, and electric vehicle charging are just a few examples of emerging offerings. Who should provide value-added services — utilities or third parties, or both, and under what conditions? What policy and regulatory changes may be needed to promote competition and innovation, to account for utility costs to enable these services, and to protect consumers? The report approaches the issues from three perspectives: utilities, third-party service providers, and consumers: -Jonathan Blansfield and Lisa Wood, Institute for Electric Innovation -Ryan Katofsky, Benjamin Stafford and Danny Waggoner, Advanced Energy Economy -National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates

  1. Added value measures in education show genetic as well as environmental influence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haworth, Claire M A; Asbury, Kathryn; Dale, Philip S; Plomin, Robert

    2011-02-02

    Does achievement independent of ability or previous attainment provide a purer measure of the added value of school? In a study of 4000 pairs of 12-year-old twins in the UK, we measured achievement with year-long teacher assessments as well as tests. Raw achievement shows moderate heritability (about 50%) and modest shared environmental influences (25%). Unexpectedly, we show that for indices of the added value of school, genetic influences remain moderate (around 50%), and the shared (school) environment is less important (about 12%). The pervasiveness of genetic influence in how and how much children learn is compatible with an active view of learning in which children create their own educational experiences in part on the basis of their genetic propensities.

  2. DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES FOR VALUE ADDED MEAT PRODUCTS SURVEY 1993

    OpenAIRE

    Kinsey, Jean D.; Senauer, Benjamin; Jonk, Yvonne

    1993-01-01

    The purpose of this consumer survey was to learn more about consumer preferences for meat characteristics. Value added meat processors faced with the problem of trying to identify market niches wanted to know what types of consumers had similar preferences and what their specific preferences and concerns are. In addition, we wanted to learn more about attitudes that are believed to be changing due to new information about the relationship between diet and long term health, lifestyles that dem...

  3. 76 FR 37774 - Announcement of Value-Added Producer Grant Application Deadlines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-28

    ... communities in urban or rural areas, with limited access to healthy foods and with a high poverty and hunger... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Business-Cooperative Service Announcement of Value-Added Producer Grant Application Deadlines AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of Funding...

  4. Applying value stream mapping techniques to eliminate non-value-added waste for the procurement of endovascular stents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teichgräber, Ulf K; de Bucourt, Maximilian

    2012-01-01

    OJECTIVES: To eliminate non-value-adding (NVA) waste for the procurement of endovascular stents in interventional radiology services by applying value stream mapping (VSM). The Lean manufacturing technique was used to analyze the process of material and information flow currently required to direct endovascular stents from external suppliers to patients. Based on a decision point analysis for the procurement of stents in the hospital, a present state VSM was drawn. After assessment of the current status VSM and progressive elimination of unnecessary NVA waste, a future state VSM was drawn. The current state VSM demonstrated that out of 13 processes for the procurement of stents only 2 processes were value-adding. Out of the NVA processes 5 processes were unnecessary NVA activities, which could be eliminated. The decision point analysis demonstrated that the procurement of stents was mainly a forecast driven push system. The future state VSM applies a pull inventory control system to trigger the movement of a unit after withdrawal by using a consignment stock. VSM is a visualization tool for the supply chain and value stream, based on the Toyota Production System and greatly assists in successfully implementing a Lean system. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Ionic liquid solutions as extractive solvents for value-added compounds from biomass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passos, Helena; Freire, Mara G; Coutinho, João A P

    2014-12-01

    In the past few years, the number of studies regarding the application of ionic liquids (ILs) as alternative solvents to extract value-added compounds from biomass has been growing. Based on an extended compilation and analysis of the data hitherto reported, the main objective of this review is to provide an overview on the use of ILs and their mixtures with molecular solvents for the extraction of value-added compounds present in natural sources. The ILs (or IL solutions) investigated as solvents for the extraction of natural compounds, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, lipids, among others, are outlined. The extraction techniques employed, namely solid-liquid extraction, and microwave-assisted and ultrasound-assisted extractions, are emphasized and discussed in terms of extraction yields and purification factors. Furthermore, the evaluation of the IL chemical structure and the optimization of the process conditions (IL concentration, temperature, biomass-solvent ratio, etc.) are critically addressed. Major conclusions on the role of the ILs towards the extraction mechanisms and improved extraction yields are additionally provided. The isolation and recovery procedures of the value-added compounds are ascertained as well as some scattered strategies already reported for the IL solvent recovery and reusability. Finally, a critical analysis on the economic impact versus the extraction performance of IL-based methodologies was also carried out and is here presented and discussed.

  6. Economic Value Added as a Dependence on the Corporate- and Market-life Cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konečný Zdeněk

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Economic value added (EVA is an indicator which is widely used as the main tool for financial analysis. There are two methods of calculating it. The original method which was made by Stern & Stewart is defined as the net operating profit after taxes minus the cost of capital. The second method which was developed and used by the “Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade” indicates that, the economic value added is the difference between return on equity and the alternate cost of equity that is composed of separate risk rewards, and this “spread” is consequently multiplied by the equity. Economic value added depends on many factors. Whereas some of them are controllable by the company, others are not. This article is focused on the relationship between economic value added and the corporate- vs. market life cycle. This is because, there is an assumption that conditions for developing EVA changes depending on the actual phase of corporate- and market life cycle. In this research, the model by Reiners (2004 is used to identify the phases of corporate- and market life cycle and the method provided by the “Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade” is used to calculate EVA. However, there is a consideration of the relativity of EVA in the form of “spread” because of the intercompany comparison. The study found that, the highest spread is achieved by companies that are in the phase of expansion and phase of market expansion. On the contrary, companies in the phase of declension during market declension achieved the lowest and negative spread.

  7. Reduced prefrontal and temporal processing and recall of high "sensation value" ads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langleben, Daniel D; Loughead, James W; Ruparel, Kosha; Hakun, Jonathan G; Busch-Winokur, Samantha; Holloway, Matthew B; Strasser, Andrew A; Cappella, Joseph N; Lerman, Caryn

    2009-05-15

    Public service announcements (PSAs) are non-commercial broadcast ads that are an important part of televised public health campaigns. "Message sensation value" (MSV), a measure of sensory intensity of audio, visual, and content features of an ad, is an important factor in PSA impact. Some communication theories propose that higher message sensation value brings increased attention and cognitive processing, leading to higher ad impact. Others argue that the attention-intensive format could compete with ad's message for cognitive resources and result in reduced processing of PSA content and reduced overall effectiveness. Brain imaging during PSA viewing provides a quantitative surrogate measure of PSA impact and addresses questions of PSA evaluation and design not accessible with traditional subjective and epidemiological methods. We used Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and recognition memory measures to compare high and low MSV anti-tobacco PSAs and neutral videos. In a short-delay, forced-choice memory test, frames extracted from PSAs were recognized more accurately than frames extracted from the NV. Frames from the low MSV PSAs were better recognized than frames from the high MSV PSAs. The accuracy of recognition of PSA frames was positively correlated with the prefrontal and temporal, and negatively correlated with the occipital cortex activation. The low MSV PSAs were associated with greater prefrontal and temporal activation, than the high MSV PSAs. The high MSV PSAs produced greater activation primarily in the occipital cortex. These findings support the "dual processing" and "limited capacity" theories of communication that postulate a competition between ad's content and format for the viewers' cognitive resources and suggest that the "attention-grabbing" high MSV format could impede the learning and retention of an ad. These findings demonstrate the potential of using neuroimaging in the design and

  8. 48 CFR 252.229-7009 - Relief from customs duty and value added tax on fuel (passenger vehicles) (United Kingdom).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... and value added tax on fuel (passenger vehicles) (United Kingdom). 252.229-7009 Section 252.229-7009... Relief from customs duty and value added tax on fuel (passenger vehicles) (United Kingdom). As prescribed in 229.402-70(i), use the following clause: Relief from Customs Duty and Value Added Tax on Fuel...

  9. Liberating the potential: the role of non-nurses in adding value to nurse education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickinson, Julie

    2006-01-01

    In this paper, I have attempted to explore the role of non-nurse lecturers in adding value to nurse education programmes. In measuring "added-value" in higher education, I have embraced a more comprehensive approach including investigating the views of "Experts"; including the nurse and non-nurse lecturers themselves, and various United Kingdom stakeholders such as the Government, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Quality Assurance Agency. The students' views are also taken into account, when considering both the content of the programmes and how they are delivered. The complexity of "objective measurement" is considered, and the requirements of a "good" teaching experience. The potential areas for adding value include: health and social care policy priorities which encourage partnership working, the blurring of professional boundaries, and inter-professional working. Professional-specific changes embracing extended and enhanced roles and the concepts of specialist and assistant practitioners. Other areas include the Higher Education agendas including transferable skills and adult and student-centred learning. I conclude by discussing the latest policy changes and suggest that the role of the non-nurse lecturer needs more exploration to provide the best value for all.

  10. The Role of Value Added Tax on Economic Growth of Ethiopia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The achievement of economic growth is crucial for countries sustainable development. Recently, Value Added Tax (VAT) becomes a major worldwide tax instrument which enhances economic growth. Being a tax levied on the final consumption of goods and services, VAT is collected at each stage of production and ...

  11. VALUE ADDED TAX IN THE ECONOMIC CRISIS CONTEXT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mara Cristian

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available This article tries to present the major aspects concerning the value added tax in the context of economic crisis in European Union countries and Romania. The paper realizes an analysis of the impact of economic crises on VAT in the European space underlining the current situation when the revenues from VAT represent a valuable source of financing the public expenditures. In Romania the economic crises has led to increasing o f VAT rate from 19% to 24%. This measure is an important fiscal measure for the state budget and this study tries to reflect the impact of this VAT rate increase on the public revenues and consumption.

  12. Does school ethos explain the relationship between value-added education and teenage substance use? A cohort study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markham, Wolfgang A.; Young, Robert; Sweeting, Helen; West, Patrick; Aveyard, Paul

    2012-01-01

    Previous studies found lower substance use in schools achieving better examination and truancy results than expected, given their pupil populations (high value-added schools). This study examines whether these findings are replicated in West Scotland and whether school ethos indicators focussing on pupils' perceptions of schooling (environment, involvement, engagement and teacher–pupil relations) mediate the associations. Teenagers from forty-one schools (S2, aged 13, n = 2268; S4, aged 15, n = 2096) previously surveyed in primary school (aged 11, n = 2482) were surveyed in the late 1990s. School value-added scores were derived from standardised residuals of two regression equations separately predicting from pupils' socio-demographic characteristics (1) proportions of pupils passing five Scottish Standard Grade Examinations, and (2) half-day truancy loss. Outcomes were current smoking, monthly drinking, ever illicit drug use. Random effects logistic regression models adjusted for potential pupil-level confounders were used to assess (1) associations between substance use and school-level value-added scores and (2) whether these associations were mediated by pupils' perceptions of schooling or other school-level factors (school roll, religious denomination and mean aggregated school-level ethos scores). Against expectations, value-added education was positively associated with smoking (Odds Ratios [95% confidence intervals] for one standard deviation increase in value-added scores were 1.28 [1.02–1.61] in S2 and 1.13 [1.00–1.27] in S4) and positively but weakly and non-significantly associated with drinking and drug use. Engagement and positive teacher–pupil relations were strongly and negatively associated with all substance use outcomes at both ages. Other school-level factors appeared weakly and largely non-significantly related to substance use. Value-added scores were unrelated to school ethos measures and no ethos measure mediated associations

  13. Does school ethos explain the relationship between value-added education and teenage substance use? A cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markham, Wolfgang A; Young, Robert; Sweeting, Helen; West, Patrick; Aveyard, Paul

    2012-07-01

    Previous studies found lower substance use in schools achieving better examination and truancy results than expected, given their pupil populations (high value-added schools). This study examines whether these findings are replicated in West Scotland and whether school ethos indicators focussing on pupils' perceptions of schooling (environment, involvement, engagement and teacher-pupil relations) mediate the associations. Teenagers from forty-one schools (S2, aged 13, n = 2268; S4, aged 15, n = 2096) previously surveyed in primary school (aged 11, n = 2482) were surveyed in the late 1990s. School value-added scores were derived from standardised residuals of two regression equations separately predicting from pupils' socio-demographic characteristics (1) proportions of pupils passing five Scottish Standard Grade Examinations, and (2) half-day truancy loss. Outcomes were current smoking, monthly drinking, ever illicit drug use. Random effects logistic regression models adjusted for potential pupil-level confounders were used to assess (1) associations between substance use and school-level value-added scores and (2) whether these associations were mediated by pupils' perceptions of schooling or other school-level factors (school roll, religious denomination and mean aggregated school-level ethos scores). Against expectations, value-added education was positively associated with smoking (Odds Ratios [95% confidence intervals] for one standard deviation increase in value-added scores were 1.28 [1.02-1.61] in S2 and 1.13 [1.00-1.27] in S4) and positively but weakly and non-significantly associated with drinking and drug use. Engagement and positive teacher-pupil relations were strongly and negatively associated with all substance use outcomes at both ages. Other school-level factors appeared weakly and largely non-significantly related to substance use. Value-added scores were unrelated to school ethos measures and no ethos measure mediated associations between value-added

  14. The effects of audit value added on audit survival: Evidence from CPAs of Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seerungrat Sudsomboon

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this study are to investigate the relationship between antecedents and consequences of audit value added (AVA. AVA is performance of the auditors who work with dedication and commitment to quality work and usefulness for user. AVA composes three dimensions as well as audit best practice, audit continuous learning, and professional ethic awareness. The results from the questionnaire survey of 135 CPAs in Thailand. The findings identified that only two dimensions of AVA has positive relationship with all consequences as well as audit continuous learning and professional ethic awareness. Which the consequences of this study are financial information transparency, stakeholder acceptance, and audit survival. In addition, the finding shows the relationship between antecedence and audit value added are positive significant. Which the antecedence of this study are Stakeholder pressure, audit regulation change, and business environment climate. Surprisingly, have not significant the relationship between audit best practice that dimensions of audit value added and consequences. The summary of this paper not only provides theoretical and managerial contributions but also suggestions and directions of the future research are elaborate.

  15. Impact of value-adding services on quality, loyalty and brand equity in the brewing industry

    OpenAIRE

    Juga, J. (Jari); Juntunen, J. (Jouni); Paananen, M. (Mikko)

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of logistics value-adding services and perceived service quality on brand equity among B2B customers of a brewery company. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical model is developed and tested using survey data from 173 hotel, restaurant and catering (HoReCa) industry customers of a brewery company in Finland. Findings: Value-adding services play an important role in building the brewery company’s brand eq...

  16. Analisis Economic Value Added (EVA) dalam Menilai Kinerja Keuangan Perusahaan pada PT. Unilever Indonesia, Tbk.

    OpenAIRE

    Zulfauzi

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to know the financial performance of PT. Unilever Indonesia, Tbk which is measured by Economic Value Added (EVA). Variable which is needed to compute The EVA are Net Profit After Tax (NOPAT), Cost of Capital (CoC), and Economic Value Added (EVA). EVA concept is different with another financial performance instruments. Because in computing EVA, Cost of Capital is included. That’s why accounting profitable company doesn’t mean it has positive EV...

  17. Sustainable multipurpose biorefineries for third-generation biofuels and value-added co-products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modern biorefinery facilities conduct many types of processes, including those producing advanced biofuels, commodity chemicals, biodiesel, and value-added co-products such as sweeteners and bioinsecticides, with many more co-products, chemicals and biofuels on the horizon. Most of these processes ...

  18. Production facility site selection factors for Texas value-added wood producers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judd H. Michael; Joanna Teitel; James E. Granskog

    1998-01-01

    Value-added wood products manufacturers serve an important role in the economies of many U.S. regions and are therefore sought after by entities such as economic development agencies. The reasons why certain locations for a prospective prodution facility would be more attractive to secondary wood industry producers are not clearly understood. Therefore, this research...

  19. Value-Added Measures in Education: What Every Educator Needs to Know

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Douglas N.

    2011-01-01

    In "Value-Added Measures in Education", Douglas N. Harris takes on one of the most hotly debated topics in education. Drawing on his extensive work with schools and districts, he sets out to help educators and policymakers understand this innovative approach to assessment and the issues associated with its use. Written in straightforward language…

  20. Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value-added and renewable fuels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Lan; Xu, Yi-Jun

    2015-07-01

    The increasing energy crisis and the worsening global climate caused by the excessive utilization of fossil fuel have boosted tremendous research activities about CO2 capture, storage and utilization. Artificial photosynthesis that uses solar light energy to convert CO2 to form value-added and renewable fuels such as methane or methanol has been consistently drawing increasing attention. It is like killing two birds with one stone since it can not only reduce the greenhouse effects caused by CO2 emission but also produce value added chemicals for alternative energy supplying. This review provides a brief introduction about the basic principles of artificial photosynthesis of CO2 and the progress made in exploring more efficient photocatalysts from the viewpoint of light harvesting and photogenerated charge carriers boosting. Moreover, the undergoing mechanisms of CO2 photoreduction are discussed with selected examples, in terms of adsorption of reactants, CO2 activation as well as the possible reaction pathways. Finally, perspectives on future research directions and open issues in CO2 photoreduction are outlined.

  1. The Use of a School Value-Added Model for Educational Improvement: A Case Study from the Portuguese Primary Education System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrão, Maria Eugénia; Couto, Alcino Pinto

    2014-01-01

    This article focuses on the use of a value-added approach for promoting school improvement. It presents yearly value-added estimates, analyses their stability over time, and discusses the contribution of this methodological approach for promoting school improvement programmes in the Portuguese system of evaluation. The value-added model is applied…

  2. The specifics of applying value added tax for local authorities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miloš Grásgruber

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available If local authorities units carry out an economic activity, are considered to be taxable under Act No. 235/2004 Coll., On Value Added Tax as amended. Adjustment of VAT in all countries of the European Union is based on Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax as amended. The application of this directive is binding for all EU member states and national treatment of VAT may diverge from the Directive only in cases where the Directive permits. Decisions of the European Court of Justice are of considerable importance during the interpretation of the Czech VAT Act.For the municipalities and regions article defines the activities that are considered to be an economic activity and activities that are deemed to exercise of public administration and are not therefore subject to VAT. Further the paper defines the concept of turnover of local authorities. At paper there are evaluating the impact of the application of VAT on municipalities and regions in the provision of the individual fulfillment. Great attention must municipalities and region devote to the problem of correct application of claim to tax deduction if they carry out the exercise of public administration, taxable activities and fulfillments exempt from VAT.

  3. Stakeholder opinions on the use of the added value approach in siting radioactive waste management facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kojo, Matti [University of Tampere, School of ManagementTampere (Finland); Richardson, Phil [Galson Sciences Ltd, Oakham (United Kingdom)

    2013-07-01

    In some countries nuclear waste facility siting programs include social and economic benefits, compensation, local empowerment and motivation measures and other incentives for the potential host community. This can generally be referred to as an 'added value approach'. Demonstration of the safety of a repository is seen as a precondition of an added value approach. Recently much focus has been placed on studying and developing public participation approaches but less on the use of such incentive and community benefit packages, although they are becoming a more common element in many site selection strategies for nuclear waste management facilities. The primary objective of this paper is to report on an ongoing study of stakeholders' opinions of the use of an added value approach in siting a radioactive waste facility in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. The paper argues that an added value approach should adapt to the interests and needs of stakeholders during different stages of a siting process. The main question posed in the study is as follows: What are the measures which should be included in 'added value approach' according to the stakeholders? The research data consists of stakeholders' responses to a survey focusing on the use of added value (community benefits) and incentives in siting nuclear waste management facilities. The survey involved use of a questionnaire developed as part of the EU-funded IPPA* project in three countries: the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. (* Implementing Public Participation Approaches in Radioactive Waste Disposal, FP7 Contract Number: 269849). The target audiences for the questionnaires were the stakeholders represented in the national stakeholder groups established to discuss site selection for a nuclear waste repository in their country. A total of 105 questionnaires were sent to the stakeholders between November 2011 and January 2012. 44 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a

  4. Stakeholder opinions on the use of the added value approach in siting radioactive waste management facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kojo, Matti; Richardson, Phil

    2013-01-01

    In some countries nuclear waste facility siting programs include social and economic benefits, compensation, local empowerment and motivation measures and other incentives for the potential host community. This can generally be referred to as an 'added value approach'. Demonstration of the safety of a repository is seen as a precondition of an added value approach. Recently much focus has been placed on studying and developing public participation approaches but less on the use of such incentive and community benefit packages, although they are becoming a more common element in many site selection strategies for nuclear waste management facilities. The primary objective of this paper is to report on an ongoing study of stakeholders' opinions of the use of an added value approach in siting a radioactive waste facility in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. The paper argues that an added value approach should adapt to the interests and needs of stakeholders during different stages of a siting process. The main question posed in the study is as follows: What are the measures which should be included in 'added value approach' according to the stakeholders? The research data consists of stakeholders' responses to a survey focusing on the use of added value (community benefits) and incentives in siting nuclear waste management facilities. The survey involved use of a questionnaire developed as part of the EU-funded IPPA* project in three countries: the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. (* Implementing Public Participation Approaches in Radioactive Waste Disposal, FP7 Contract Number: 269849). The target audiences for the questionnaires were the stakeholders represented in the national stakeholder groups established to discuss site selection for a nuclear waste repository in their country. A total of 105 questionnaires were sent to the stakeholders between November 2011 and January 2012. 44 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a

  5. The Value Simulation-Based Learning Added to Machining Technology in Singapore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Linda; Tan, Hock Soon; Thwin, Mya Mya; Tan, Kim Cheng; Koh, Caroline

    2011-01-01

    This study seeks to understand the value simulation-based learning (SBL) added to the learning of Machining Technology in a 15-week core subject course offered to university students. The research questions were: (1) How did SBL enhance classroom learning? (2) How did SBL help participants in their test? (3) How did SBL prepare participants for…

  6. The forecaster's added value

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turco, M.; Milelli, M.

    2009-09-01

    skill scores of two competitive forecast. It is important to underline that the conclusions refer to the analysis of the Piemonte operational alert system, so they cannot be directly taken as universally true. But we think that some of the main lessons that can be derived from this study could be useful for the meteorological community. In details, the main conclusions are the following: - despite the overall improvement in global scale and the fact that the resolution of the limited area models has increased considerably over recent years, the QPF produced by the meteorological models involved in this study has not improved enough to allow its direct use, that is, the subjective HQPF continues to offer the best performance; - in the forecast process, the step where humans have the largest added value with respect to mathematical models, is the communication. In fact the human characterisation and communication of the forecast uncertainty to end users cannot be replaced by any computer code; - eventually, although there is no novelty in this study, we would like to show that the correct application of appropriated statistical techniques permits a better definition and quantification of the errors and, mostly important, allows a correct (unbiased) communication between forecasters and decision makers.

  7. Value adding management of hospital real estate : Balancing between different stakeholders’ perspectives

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Zwart, J.; van der Voordt, D.J.M.

    2013-01-01

    In addition to cost effectiveness, possible contributions of real estate to organisational performance are incorporated in strategic corporate real estate management nowadays more and more. This paper explores the concept of adding value by real estate and how this concept is being applied in design

  8. Measuring the added value of workplace change. Comparison between Theory and Practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Voordt, Theo; Riratanaphong, C.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Worldwide organisations have introduced more flexibility in place, time and ways of working. In order to be able to define the added value of workplace change, a clear performance measurement system is needed to measure organisational performance in connection to real estate before and

  9. Uma análise da correlação entre o EVA® e o MVA® no contexto das empresas brasileiras de capital aberto Correlation between Economic Value Added and Market Value Added for publicly owned Brazilian companies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Odálio dos Santos

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Este artigo trata do tema da criação de valor, da forma como é medida pelo EVA® (Valor Econômico Adicionado e pelo MVA® (Valor de Mercado Agregado, duas metodologias desenvolvidas no final dos anos 80 pela empresa americana de consultoria Stern Stewart & Co. O EVA® é definido como a diferença entre o lucro operacional líquido depois de impostos e o custo do capital investido na empresa, enquanto o MVA® é determinado pela diferença entre o valor de mercado da empresa e o capital total nela investido. Um estudo realizado por G. Bennett Stewart III, que idealizou essas metodologias juntamente com o seu sócio Joel M. Stern, encontrou uma forte correlação entre o EVA® e o MVA®. Visando averiguar se tal resultado se aplica também ao caso das empresas brasileiras, os autores deste artigo realizaram uma pesquisa semelhante, baseada numa amostra formada por empresas de capital aberto cujas ações foram negociadas na Bovespa (Bolsa de Valores de São Paulo durante o período de 1996 a 2001.This article deals with value creation as measured by Economic Value Added (EVA® and Market Value (MVA® which are methods developed by an American consultant, Stern Stewart & Co, in the late l980's. Economic Value Added is defined as the difference between net operating profit after taxes and the cost of capital invested in a company, while Market Value Added is the difference between market value and the total capital invested in a company. G. Bennett Stewart III, who conceived this approach together with his partner Joel M. Stern, found a strong correlation between Economic Value Added and Market Value Added. Our research investigated whether this also applies to a sample of publicly owned Brazilian companies traded on the São Paulo Stock Exchange between 1996 and 2001.

  10. Evolution of Value Added Chains in Asia Pacific Region and Opportunities for Russia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Alekseevich Makarov

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the changing patterns of transnational value chains in the Asia-Pacific region. The methodology is based on the analysis of data extracted from the OECD – WTO Trade in Value Added Database (2016. The study demonstrates that 1 Asia-Pacific countries show extremely high involvement in the global value chains; 2 intra-Asian value chains develop at a fast pace, reflecting the trend towards regiona-lization of economic ties in Asia-Pacific (caused by the processes of transformation within China, the growing income divergence in the region and the development of regional integration mechanisms; 3 the level of participation in global value chains differs across countries and is subject to constant changes. In particular, Chinese manufacturers are moving to the processes with higher value added, and the role of an ‘assembly shop’ in the region is shifting to the ASEAN countries. Russia’s participation in the value chains in the Asia-Pacific region is currently limited to its role as a supplier of raw materials. High tariffs make manufacturing oriented towards Asia less viable, especially considering that most of Asia-Pacific countries have free trade agreements with each other. However, favorable rules of origin in Asian RTAs as well as good political relations with leading Asian countries in conditions of tensions between them still create some opportunities for involving Russia in regional value chains at the more advanced stages

  11. Value-Added Products From FGD Sulfite-Rich Scrubber Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vivak M. Malhotra

    2006-09-30

    Massive quantities of sulfite-rich flue gas desulfurization (FGD) scrubber materials are produced every year in the USA. In fact, at present, the production of wet sulfite-rich scrubber cake outstrips the production of wet sulfate-rich scrubber cake by about 6 million tons per year. However, most of the utilization focus has centered on FGD gypsum. Therefore, we have recently initiated research on developing new strategies for the economical, but environmentally-sound, utilization of sulfite-rich scrubber material. In this exploratory project (Phase I), we attempted to ascertain whether it is feasible to develop reconstituted wood replacement products from sulfite-rich scrubber material. In pursuit of this goal, we characterized two different wet sulfite-rich scrubber materials, obtained from two power plants burning Midwestern coal, for their suitability for the development of value-added products. The overall strategy adopted was to fabricate composites where the largest ingredient was scrubber material with additional crop materials as additives. Our results suggested that it may be feasible to develop composites with flexural strength as high as 40 MPa (5800 psi) without the addition of external polymers. We also attempted to develop load-bearing composites from scrubber material, natural fibers, and phenolic polymer. The polymer-to-solid ratio was limited to {le} 0.4. The formulated composites showed flexural strengths as high as 73 MPa (10,585 psi). We plan to harness the research outcomes from Phase I to develop parameters required to upscale our value-added products in Phase II.

  12. Identifying hubs and spokes in global supply chains using redirected trade in value added

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lejour, Arjan; Rojas-Romagosa, Hugo; Veenendaal, Paul

    2017-01-01

    The increasing importance of global supply chains has prompted the use of analytical tools based on trade in value added - instead of traditional measures in gross value. We use this analytical framework to develop indicators that identify production hubs and supply spokes in global supply chains.

  13. Value Added Taxes, Chain Effects and Informality”, Second Version

    OpenAIRE

    Aureo de Paula; Jose A. Scheinkman

    2009-01-01

    This paper investigates determinants of informal economic activity. We present an equilibrium model of informality and test its implications using a survey of 48,000+ small firms in Brazil. We define informality as tax avoidance; firms in the informal sector avoid tax payments but suffer other limitations. A novel theoretical contribution in this model is the role of value added taxes in transmitting informality. It predicts that the informality of a firm is correlated to the informality of f...

  14. Method for conversion of carbohydrate polymers to value-added chemical products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zongchao C [Norwood, NJ; Brown, Heather M [Kennewick, WA; Su, Yu [Richland, WA

    2012-02-07

    Methods are described for conversion of carbohydrate polymers in ionic liquids, including cellulose, that yield value-added chemicals including, e.g., glucose and 5-hydroxylmethylfurfural (HMF) at temperatures below 120.degree. C. Catalyst compositions that include various mixed metal halides are described that are selective for specified products with yields, e.g., of up to about 56% in a single step process.

  15. The Impact of Corporate Governance on Financial Performance: (Measured using Accounting and Value-Added based Measures): Evidence from Malaysia

    OpenAIRE

    Abdul Aziz, Khairul Annuar

    2005-01-01

    This paper aims to test empirically which measure, an accounting based financial performance measure such as Return on Equity, Price to Earnings Ratio, Earnings Per Share and Return on Capital Employed; or value-added based financial performance measures such as Economic Value Added and Market Value Added; is more closely related with Corporate Governance Compliance. This paper also aims to study the level of Corporate Governance Compliance of the Smaller Companies listed on the KLSE, the mea...

  16. THE FACTORIAL ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED (EVA WITHIN A COMPANY FROM THE ROMANIAN SEASIDE HOTEL INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RALUCA-ANDREEA TRANDAFIR

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we aimed to show that the only indicator that can provide solutions at the operational level of a company is the economic value added. That is why we focused on the factorial analysis of this indicator, trying to highlight the influences that the economic value added determinants had on value destruction in the analysed company.

  17. An Integrative Approach to Value-Added Planning: From Community Needs to Local Authority Revenue

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cilliers, E.J.; Timmermans, W.

    2015-01-01

    The concept of value-added planning (as part of the Valuing Attractive Landscapes in the Urban Economy, INTERREG IVB North West Europe Project) is introduced in this paper to facilitate integrative planning, focusing on the benefits that use and non-use green spaces can provide to an urban area. The

  18. Getting added value from using qualitative research with randomized controlled trials: a qualitative interview study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Qualitative research is undertaken with randomized controlled trials of health interventions. Our aim was to explore the perceptions of researchers with experience of this endeavour to understand the added value of qualitative research to the trial in practice. Methods A telephone semi-structured interview study with 18 researchers with experience of undertaking the trial and/or the qualitative research. Results Interviewees described the added value of qualitative research for the trial, explaining how it solved problems at the pretrial stage, explained findings, and helped to increase the utility of the evidence generated by the trial. From the interviews, we identified three models of relationship of the qualitative research to the trial. In ‘the peripheral’ model, the trial was an opportunity to undertake qualitative research, with no intention that it would add value to the trial. In ‘the add-on’ model, the qualitative researcher understood the potential value of the qualitative research but it was viewed as a separate and complementary endeavour by the trial lead investigator and wider team. Interviewees described how this could limit the value of the qualitative research to the trial. Finally ‘the integral’ model played out in two ways. In ‘integral-in-theory’ studies, the lead investigator viewed the qualitative research as essential to the trial. However, in practice the qualitative research was under-resourced relative to the trial, potentially limiting its ability to add value to the trial. In ‘integral-in-practice’ studies, interviewees described how the qualitative research was planned from the beginning of the study, senior qualitative expertise was on the team from beginning to end, and staff and time were dedicated to the qualitative research. In these studies interviewees described the qualitative research adding value to the trial although this value was not necessarily visible beyond the original research team due

  19. Getting added value from using qualitative research with randomized controlled trials: a qualitative interview study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Cathain, Alicia; Goode, Jackie; Drabble, Sarah J; Thomas, Kate J; Rudolph, Anne; Hewison, Jenny

    2014-06-09

    Qualitative research is undertaken with randomized controlled trials of health interventions. Our aim was to explore the perceptions of researchers with experience of this endeavour to understand the added value of qualitative research to the trial in practice. A telephone semi-structured interview study with 18 researchers with experience of undertaking the trial and/or the qualitative research. Interviewees described the added value of qualitative research for the trial, explaining how it solved problems at the pretrial stage, explained findings, and helped to increase the utility of the evidence generated by the trial. From the interviews, we identified three models of relationship of the qualitative research to the trial. In 'the peripheral' model, the trial was an opportunity to undertake qualitative research, with no intention that it would add value to the trial. In 'the add-on' model, the qualitative researcher understood the potential value of the qualitative research but it was viewed as a separate and complementary endeavour by the trial lead investigator and wider team. Interviewees described how this could limit the value of the qualitative research to the trial. Finally 'the integral' model played out in two ways. In 'integral-in-theory' studies, the lead investigator viewed the qualitative research as essential to the trial. However, in practice the qualitative research was under-resourced relative to the trial, potentially limiting its ability to add value to the trial. In 'integral-in-practice' studies, interviewees described how the qualitative research was planned from the beginning of the study, senior qualitative expertise was on the team from beginning to end, and staff and time were dedicated to the qualitative research. In these studies interviewees described the qualitative research adding value to the trial although this value was not necessarily visible beyond the original research team due to the challenges of publishing this research

  20. Exploring the impact of a spatial data infrastructure on value-added resellers and vice versa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Cooper, Antony K

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available , Information and Computational Viewpoints of the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing. Within the Enterprise Viewpoint, we identified six stakeholders, including a Value-added Reseller (VAR), a stakeholder who adds value to an existing product...

  1. Implementation of methodology for analyzing the added value in a metallurgical industry of custom products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Cesar Mayer

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper addresses the implementation of a methodology for the analysis of added value in a job where steel sheets operations are processed by oxyfuel in a CNC (computer numerical control machine. The method used was based on a case study, followed by descriptive research by observing and recording the movements of the work. For this purpose, all the movements and tasks of the operators and the machine were defined, and classified according to the concepts adopted by Ohno (2002. Their chrono-analyses occurred in the period from March to June 2010 and later improvements were made throughout the workplace, allowing the elimination and reduction of losses, significant increase in the added value and increased occupation of the machine. Through this case study, it was found that the understandings of Ohno (2002 about the added value developed for an automotive industry manufacturing a standard product are perfectly applicable to a company that works with a production system under design and does not manufacture standard products

  2. Microalgal cultivation for value-added products: a critical enviro-economical assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kothari, Richa; Pandey, Arya; Ahmad, Shamshad; Kumar, Ashwani; Pathak, Vinayak V; Tyagi, V V

    2017-08-01

    The present review focuses on the cultivation of algal biomass for generating value-added products (VAP) and to assess their economic benefits and harmful environmental impact. Additionally, the impact of bioreactor designs on the yield of microalgal biomass for VAP is also considered. All these factors are discussed in relation to the impact of microalgae production on the bio-economy sector of commercial biotechnology.

  3. How to Enforce Value-Added Tax? The Role of Inter-Sectoral Linkages

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoseini, M.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract: This paper models and empirically tests a self-enforcing feature of the value added tax (VAT) which is absent in the theory: An incentive that makes formal traders buy from suppliers who pay VAT too. In addition, it explores how the government can deploy this feature to enforce VAT more

  4. Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value-added and renewable fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Lan; Xu, Yi-Jun

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Artificial photosynthesis that uses solar light energy to convert CO 2 to form value-added and renewable fuels is considered to be a promising avenue to solve the problems relating to CO 2 . However, the state-of-the-art photocatalytic efficiency of CO 2 reduction is far from being optimal as a viable economical process. The present review is mainly focused on the progress made in exploring more efficient photocatalysts for CO 2 photoreduction and the undergoing mechanisms, which is anticipated to contribute to further advancement in CO 2 photoreduction with on-going efforts. - Highlights: • Brief introduction about the basic principle of artificial photosynthesis of CO 2 . • Progress made in exploring more efficient photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction. • Efforts devoted to excavate the in-depth mechanism of CO 2 photoreduction. • Perspectives on future research directions and open issues in CO 2 photoreduction. - Abstract: The increasing energy crisis and the worsening global climate caused by the excessive utilization of fossil fuel have boosted tremendous research activities about CO 2 capture, storage and utilization. Artificial photosynthesis that uses solar light energy to convert CO 2 to form value-added and renewable fuels such as methane or methanol has been consistently drawing increasing attention. It is like killing two birds with one stone since it can not only reduce the greenhouse effects caused by CO 2 emission but also produce value added chemicals for alternative energy supplying. This review provides a brief introduction about the basic principles of artificial photosynthesis of CO 2 and the progress made in exploring more efficient photocatalysts from the viewpoint of light harvesting and photogenerated charge carriers boosting. Moreover, the undergoing mechanisms of CO 2 photoreduction are discussed with selected examples, in terms of adsorption of reactants, CO 2 activation as well as the possible reaction pathways

  5. Studies on the preparation of value-added products for industrial minerals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-12-01

    This report consists of 2 subjects. 1) Studies on the preparation of value-added products for limestone: This study has investigated to raise to high grade by economical processes with low grade of domestic limestone. We investigated the status of application utilize and related industries with the domestic limestone, and then being consideration with condition selected the adequate sample from Andong, Jungsun and Kumsan area. Magnetic materials were involved in impurities of sample, so magnetic separation method was applied in elimination of the ferro- and para-magnetic materials, such as chlorite, muscovite, quartz, dolomite, magnetite, feldspar and so on. Investigation of flotation was undertaken to eliminate impurities from limestone crude ore and the tests were performed to get a optimum condition adding oleic acid as a promoter, sodium silicate and sodium carbonate as a conditioning agents and MIBC as a frother, while to float the sulfide minerals added amyl xanthate as a promoter, and sulfuric acid as a pH regulator. Selective crushing and classification methods were performed to eliminate impurities depends on the mineral properties and should be the selective crushing methods are very useful at the manufacturing factory of heavy calcium carbonate with the dry milling system. 2) A study on development of value added technology of pyrophyllite and dickite: Pyrophyllite and dickite have being utilized as refractories, ceramics, cement, fiber glass, paper, rubber, paints etc. However, there are not any domestic companies to produce fillers of pyrophyllite and dickite for plastic and rubber. Moreover, several kinds of fillers are imported every year with expensive price for plastic and rubber filler. This study has purpose to develop manufacturing technologies to produce fillers for plastic and rubber of pyrophyllite and dickite. The chemical and mineralogical properties of samples, the optimum grinding condition and device for producing plastic fillers and

  6. Doppler Lidar Vertical Velocity Statistics Value-Added Product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Newsom, R. K. [DOE ARM Climate Research Facility, Washington, DC (United States); Sivaraman, C. [DOE ARM Climate Research Facility, Washington, DC (United States); Shippert, T. R. [DOE ARM Climate Research Facility, Washington, DC (United States); Riihimaki, L. D. [DOE ARM Climate Research Facility, Washington, DC (United States)

    2015-07-01

    Accurate height-resolved measurements of higher-order statistical moments of vertical velocity fluctuations are crucial for improved understanding of turbulent mixing and diffusion, convective initiation, and cloud life cycles. The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility operates coherent Doppler lidar systems at several sites around the globe. These instruments provide measurements of clear-air vertical velocity profiles in the lower troposphere with a nominal temporal resolution of 1 sec and height resolution of 30 m. The purpose of the Doppler lidar vertical velocity statistics (DLWSTATS) value-added product (VAP) is to produce height- and time-resolved estimates of vertical velocity variance, skewness, and kurtosis from these raw measurements. The VAP also produces estimates of cloud properties, including cloud-base height (CBH), cloud frequency, cloud-base vertical velocity, and cloud-base updraft fraction.

  7. Warped AdS3 black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anninos, Dionysios; Li Wei; Padi, Megha; Song Wei; Strominger, Andrew

    2009-01-01

    Three dimensional topologically massive gravity (TMG) with a negative cosmological constant -l -2 and positive Newton constant G admits an AdS 3 vacuum solution for any value of the graviton mass μ. These are all known to be perturbatively unstable except at the recently explored chiral point μl = 1. However we show herein that for every value of μl ≠ 3 there are two other (potentially stable) vacuum solutions given by SL(2,R) x U(1)-invariant warped AdS 3 geometries, with a timelike or spacelike U(1) isometry. Critical behavior occurs at μl = 3, where the warping transitions from a stretching to a squashing, and there are a pair of warped solutions with a null U(1) isometry. For μl > 3, there are known warped black hole solutions which are asymptotic to warped AdS 3 . We show that these black holes are discrete quotients of warped AdS 3 just as BTZ black holes are discrete quotients of ordinary AdS 3 . Moreover new solutions of this type, relevant to any theory with warped AdS 3 solutions, are exhibited. Finally we note that the black hole thermodynamics is consistent with the hypothesis that, for μl > 3, the warped AdS 3 ground state of TMG is holographically dual to a 2D boundary CFT with central charges c R -formula and c L -formula.

  8. Economic value added model upon conditions of banking company

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vlasta Kašparovská

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The content of this article is the application of the economic value added model (EVA upon the conditions of a banking company. Due to the character of banking business, which is in a different structure of financial sheet, it is not possible to use the standard model EVA for this banking company. The base of this article is the outlined of basic principles of the EVA mode in a non-banking company. Basic specified banking activity dissimilarities are analysed and a directed methodology adjustment of a model such as this, so that it is possible to use it for a banking company.

  9. Going beyond "highly-qualified personnel" to "value-added personnel"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nantel, Marc; Fox, Bradley; Gelsthorpe, Leanne; Hamilton, Roxy; Marshall, Robert; Williamson, Guida

    2005-10-01

    Employers clamour for more "Highly-Qualified Personnel" (HQP) to hire, and photonics is no exception. The challenge facing all new graduates lies in what actually constitutes a Highly-Qualified Person. Yesterday, an HQP was often understood to be a graduate with a Bachelor's, Master's or Ph.D. degree. Today, industry is demanding that an HQP be either a university or college graduate with strong academic standing AND a sound business and communications skill set. In this paper, we introduce the concept of "Value-Added Personnel" (VAP), which marries both scientific and "soft-skills" aspects, and we present a new program in Ontario to produce VAPs.

  10. Value added tax and the financial performance of quoted Agribusinesses in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uwaoma Ironkwe

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at investigating the impact of value-added tax on corporate financial performance of quoted companies. To achieve this purpose, we developed some hypotheses and critically reviewed existing theoretical and empirical literatures. Agribusinesses quoted in the Nigerian Stock Exchange Factbook of 2009 were considered as the population for this study. The population elements include the General Managers, Chief Accountants, Finance Managers, Chief Internal Auditors, External Auditors, and Tax Administrators of the selected companies. A total of forty (42 respondents were considered for this study. A well structured questionnaire designed in five-point Likert Scale was administered on the respondents to elicit their responses. The data generated for this study were presented in tabular form and analyzed using frequencies and simple percentages while the stated hypotheses were statistically tested with the simple regression analysis and the t-test. Our findings indicated that Value-Added Tax (VAT impacted negatively on the financial performance of agribusinesses though the impact is of insignificant value. Based on our findings, we recommended that agribusinesses should endeavour to keep appropriate source documents of all transactions for efficient VAT operations and that the governments should ensure that proper tax incentive scheme is designed and fully implemented to promote the growth of agribusinesses, in Nigeria.

  11. Energy- and value added services in the electric power market in Sweden

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsson, Peter

    2000-03-01

    This report tries to give a comprehensive picture of the offerings of energy- and value added services on the deregulated Swedish electric power market. A compilation of the service offerings from some 50 electric utilities is given. Market movements within deregulated sectors are treated with special emphasis on the electric power business

  12. Lorentzian AdS, Wormholes and Holography

    CERN Document Server

    Arias, Raul E; Silva, Guillermo A

    2011-01-01

    We investigate the structure of two point functions for the QFT dual to an asymptotically Lorentzian AdS-wormhole. The bulk geometry is a solution of 5-dimensional second order Einstein Gauss Bonnet gravity and causally connects two asymptotically AdS space times. We revisit the GKPW prescription for computing two-point correlation functions for dual QFT operators O in Lorentzian signature and we propose to express the bulk fields in terms of the independent boundary values phi_0^\\pm at each of the two asymptotic AdS regions, along the way we exhibit how the ambiguity of normalizable modes in the bulk, related to initial and final states, show up in the computations. The independent boundary values are interpreted as sources for dual operators O^\\pm and we argue that, apart from the possibility of entanglement, there exists a coupling between the degrees of freedom leaving at each boundary. The AdS_(1+1) geometry is also discussed in view of its similar boundary structure. Based on the analysis, we propose a ...

  13. Aquacultural and socio-economic aspects of processing carps into some value-added products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sehgal, H S; Sehgal, G K

    2002-05-01

    Carps are the mainstay of Indian aquaculture, contributing over 90% to the total fish production, which was estimated to be 1.77 million metric tonnes in 1996. Carp culture has a great potential for waste utilization and thus for pollution abatement. Many wastes such as cow, poultry, pig, duck, goat, and sheep excreta, biogas slurry, effluents from different kinds of factories/industries have been efficiently used for enhancing the productivity of natural food of carps and related species. Besides, several organic wastes/byproducts such as plant products, wastes from animal husbandry, and industrial by-products have been used as carp feed ingredients to lower the cost of supplementary feeding. However, to ensure the continued expansion of fish ponds and the pollution control, there must be a market for the fish (carps) produced in these ponds. The carps have, however, a low market value due to the presence of intra-muscular bones, which reduces their consumer acceptability. Thus, a need was felt to develop some boneless convenience products for enhancing the consumer acceptability of the carps. Efforts were made to prepare three value-added fish products, namely fish patty, fish finger and fish salad from carp flesh and were compared with a reference product ('fish pakoura'). Sensory evaluation of these products gave highly encouraging results. The methods of preparation of these products were transferred to some progressive farmers of the region who prepared and sold these products at very attractive prices. Carp processing has a great potential for the establishment of a fish ancillary industry and thus for boosting the production of these species. In Punjab alone, there is a potential of consuming 32,448 metric tonnes per annum of such value-added products (which would require 54,080 metric tonnes of raw fish). The development of value-added products has a significant role in raising the socio-economic status of the people associated with carp culture. The

  14. Added clinical value of the inferior temporal EEG electrode chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bach Justesen, Anders; Eskelund Johansen, Ann Berit; Martinussen, Noomi Ida; Wasserman, Danielle; Terney, Daniella; Meritam, Pirgit; Gardella, Elena; Beniczky, Sándor

    2018-01-01

    To investigate the diagnostic added value of supplementing the 10-20 EEG array with six electrodes in the inferior temporal chain. EEGs were recorded with 25 electrodes: 19 positions of the 10-20 system, and six additional electrodes in the inferior temporal chain (F9/10, T9/10, P9/10). Five-hundred consecutive standard and sleep EEG recordings were reviewed using the 10-20 array and the extended array. We identified the recordings with EEG abnormalities that had peak negativities at the inferior temporal electrodes, and those that only were visible at the inferior temporal electrodes. From the 286 abnormal recordings, the peak negativity was at the inferior temporal electrodes in 81 cases (28.3%) and only visible at the inferior temporal electrodes in eight cases (2.8%). In the sub-group of patients with temporal abnormalities (n = 134), these represented 59% (peak in the inferior chain) and 6% (only seen at the inferior chain). Adding six electrodes in the inferior temporal electrode chain to the 10-20 array improves the localization and identification of EEG abnormalities, especially those located in the temporal region. Our results suggest that inferior temporal electrodes should be added to the EEG array, to increase the diagnostic yield of the recordings. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. A new method to assess the added value of high-resolution regional climate simulations: application to the EURO-CORDEX dataset

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, P. M. M.; Cardoso, R. M.

    2017-12-01

    Regional climate models (RCM) are used with increasing resolutions pursuing to represent in an improved way regional to local scale atmospheric phenomena. The EURO-CORDEX simulations at 0.11° and simulations exploiting finer grid spacing approaching the convective-permitting regimes are representative examples. The climate runs are computationally very demanding and do not always show improvements. These depend on the region, variable and object of study. The gains or losses associated with the use of higher resolution in relation to the forcing model (global climate model or reanalysis), or to different resolution RCM simulations, is known as added value. Its characterization is a long-standing issue, and many different added-value measures have been proposed. In the current paper, a new method is proposed to assess the added value of finer resolution simulations, in comparison to its forcing data or coarser resolution counterparts. This approach builds on a probability density function (PDF) matching score, giving a normalised measure of the difference between diverse resolution PDFs, mediated by the observational ones. The distribution added value (DAV) is an objective added value measure that can be applied to any variable, region or temporal scale, from hindcast or historical (non-synchronous) simulations. The DAVs metric and an application to the EURO-CORDEX simulations, for daily temperatures and precipitation, are here presented. The EURO-CORDEX simulations at both resolutions (0.44o,0.11o) display a clear added value in relation to ERA-Interim, with values around 30% in summer and 20% in the intermediate seasons, for precipitation. When both RCM resolutions are directly compared the added value is limited. The regions with the larger precipitation DAVs are areas where convection is relevant, e.g. Alps and Iberia. When looking at the extreme precipitation PDF tail, the higher resolution improvement is generally greater than the low resolution for seasons

  16. Investigating the Added Value of Interactivity and Serious Gaming for Educational TV

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellotti, F.; Berta, R.; De Gloria, A.; Ozolina, A.

    2011-01-01

    TV is a medium with high penetration rates and has been suited to deliver informal education in several aspects since years. Thus, interactive TV may play a significant role in the current Life-Long Learning challenges, provided that meaningful applications are implemented. In this research work, we have explored the added value of interactivity…

  17. Handbook for Local Coordinators: Value-Added, Compact Disk, Union Catalog Test Phase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townley, Charles

    In 1988, the Associated College Libraries of Central Pennsylvania received a grant to create a value-added, compact disk, union catalog from the U.S. Department of Education's College Library Technology and Cooperative Grants Program, Title II of the Higher Education Act. Designed to contain, in time, 2,000,830 records from 17 member library…

  18. Mushroom cultivation, processing and value added products: a patent based review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singhal, Somya; Rasane, Prasad; Kaur, Sawinder; Garba, Umar; Singh, Jyoti; Raj, Nishant; Gupta, Neeru

    2018-06-03

    Edible mushrooms are an abundant source of carbohydrates, proteins, and multiple antioxidants and phytonutrients. This paper presents a general overview on the edible fungus describing the inventions made in the field of its cultivation, equipment and value added products. To understand and review the innovations and nutraceutical benefits of mushrooms as well as to develop interest regarding the edible mushrooms. Information provided in this review is based on the available research investigations and patents. Mushrooms are an edible source of a wide variety of antioxidants and phytonutrients with a number of nutraceutical properties including anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic. Thus, several investigations are made for cultivation and improvement of the yield of mushrooms through improvisation of growth substrates and equipment used for mushroom processing. The mushroom has been processed into various products to increase its consumption, providing the health and nutritional benefit to mankind. This paper summarizes the cultivation practices of mushroom, its processing equipments, methods of preservation, value added based products, and its nutraceutical properties. The review also highlights the various scientific feats achieved in terms of patents and research publications promoting mushroom as a wholesome food. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  19. Methods for Accounting for Co-Teaching in Value-Added Models. Working Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hock, Heinrich; Isenberg, Eric

    2012-01-01

    Isolating the effect of a given teacher on student achievement (value-added modeling) is complicated when the student is taught the same subject by more than one teacher. We consider three methods, which we call the Partial Credit Method, Teacher Team Method, and Full Roster Method, for estimating teacher effects in the presence of co-teaching.…

  20. The 'added value' GPs bring to commissioning: a qualitative study in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkins, Neil; Coleman, Anna; Wright, Michael; Gadsby, Erica; McDermott, Imelda; Petsoulas, Christina; Checkland, Kath

    2014-11-01

    The 2012 Health and Social Care Act in England replaced primary care trusts with clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) as the main purchasing organisations. These new organisations are GP-led, and it was claimed that this increased clinical input would significantly improve commissioning practice. To explore some of the key assumptions underpinning CCGs, and to examine the claim that GPs bring 'added value' to commissioning. In-depth interviews with clinicians and managers across seven CCGs in England between April and September 2013. A total of 40 clinicians and managers were interviewed. Interviews focused on the perceived 'added value' that GPs bring to commissioning. Claims to GP 'added value' centred on their intimate knowledge of their patients. It was argued that this detailed and concrete knowledge improves service design and that a close working relationship between GPs and managers strengthens the ability of managers to negotiate. However, responders also expressed concerns about the large workload that they face and about the difficulty in engaging with the wider body of GPs. GPs have been involved in commissioning in many ways since fundholding in the 1990s, and claims such as these are not new. The key question is whether these new organisations better support and enable the effective use of this knowledge. Furthermore, emphasis on experiential knowledge brings with it concerns about representativeness and the extent to which other voices are heard. Finally, the implicit privileging of GPs' personal knowledge ahead of systematic public health intelligence also requires exploration. © British Journal of General Practice 2014.

  1. Cloud Type Classification (cldtype) Value-Added Product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flynn, Donna [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Shi, Yan [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lim, K-S [Korean Atomic Energy Research Inst., Daejeon (South Korea); Riihimaki, Laura [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2017-08-15

    The Cloud Type (cldtype) value-added product (VAP) provides an automated cloud type classification based on macrophysical quantities derived from vertically pointing lidar and radar. Up to 10 layers of clouds are classified into seven cloud types based on predetermined and site-specific thresholds of cloud top, base and thickness. Examples of thresholds for selected U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility sites are provided in Tables 1 and 2. Inputs for the cldtype VAP include lidar and radar cloud boundaries obtained from the Active Remotely Sensed Cloud Location (ARSCL) and Surface Meteorological Systems (MET) data. Rain rates from MET are used to determine when radar signal attenuation precludes accurate cloud detection. Temporal resolution and vertical resolution for cldtype are 1 minute and 30 m respectively and match the resolution of ARSCL. The cldtype classification is an initial step for further categorization of clouds. It was developed for use by the Shallow Cumulus VAP to identify potential periods of interest to the LASSO model and is intended to find clouds of interest for a variety of users.

  2. The Effect of Macroeconomic Variables on Value-Added Agriculture: Approach of Vector Autoregresive Bayesian Model (BVAR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Pishbahar

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available There are different ideas and opinions about the effects of macroeconomic variables on real and nominal variables. To answer the question of whether changes in macroeconomic variables as a political tool is useful over a business cycle, understanding the effect of macroeconomic variables on economic growth is important. In the present study, the Bayesian Vector autoregresive model and seasonality data for the years between 1991 and 2013 was used to determine the impact of monetary policy on value-added agriculture. Predicts of Vector autoregresive model are usually divertaed due to a lot of parameters in the model. Bayesian vector autoregresive model estimates more reliable predictions due to reducing the number of included parametrs and considering the former models. Compared to the Vector Autoregressive model, the coefficients are estimated more accurately. Based on the results of RMSE in this study, previous function Nrmal-Vyshart was identified as a suitable previous disteribution. According to the results of the impulse response function, the sudden effects of shocks in macroeconomic variables on the value added in agriculture and domestic venture capital are stable. The effects on the exchange rates, tax revenues and monetary will bemoderated after 7, 5 and 4periods. Monetary policy shocks ,in the first half of the year, increased the value added of agriculture, while in the second half of the year had a depressing effect on the value added.

  3. The added value of sustainability motivations in understanding sustainable food choices

    OpenAIRE

    Verain, M.C.D.; Onwezen, M.C.; Sijtsema, S.J.; Dagevos, H.

    2016-01-01

    Understanding consumer food choices is crucial to stimulate sustainable food consumption. Food choice motives are shown to be relevant in understanding consumer food choices. However, there is a focus on product motives, such as price and taste, whereas process motives (i.e. environmental welfare) are understudied. The current study aims to add to the existing literature by investigating the added value of sustainable process motives (environmental welfare, animal welfare and social justice) ...

  4. The International Comparison of Value Added, Productivity and Purchasing Power Parities in Agriculture

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maddison, Angus; Ooststroom, Harry van

    1993-01-01

    This study is part of the ICOP (International Comparison of Output and Productivity) project of the University of Groningen. It presents international comparisons of levels of value added, productivity and purchasing power parities (PPPs) in agriculture for 13 countries for 1975. An early version of

  5. Comparative economic value added on Southeast Asian banking industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lintang Dewanti

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This study analyses the bank's performance comparison across countries in some ASEAN members which are listed in the stock exchange, as well as to analyse the influence of Economic Value Added (EVA and some financial ratios on the company stock return. Analysis suggests some results. In Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, the movement of EVA follows the movement of Gross Domestic Product (GDP. This study also finds that Earning per Share (EPS, only in Singapore, and Return on Equity (ROE and Return on Assets (ROA, only in the Philippines, have an influence on stock return. Only in the Philippines where EVA together with ROA has an effect on stock return.

  6. ARM Climate Research Facility Quarterly Value-Added Product Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sivaraman, C. [DOE ARM Climate Research Facility, Washington, DC (United States)

    2016-10-01

    The purpose of this report is to provide a concise status update for Value-Added Products (VAPs) implemented by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility. The report is divided into the following sections: (1) new VAPs for which development has begun; (2) progress on existing VAPs; (3) future VAPs that have been recently approved; (4) other work that leads to a VAP; (5) top requested VAPs from the ARM Data Archive; and (6) a summary of VAP and data releases to production and evaluation. New information is highlighted in blue text. New information about processed data by the developer is highlighted in red text. The upcoming milestones and dates are highlighted in green.

  7. A REVIEW OF THE ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED LITERATURE AND APPLICATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrija Sabol

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the paper is to present a cornucopia of approaches and ways of defining, measuring and using the concept of Economic Value Added (EVA. EVA is a financial performance measure that emphasizes the maximization of shareholder value, as opposed to mere maximization of net profit. The authors familiarize the readers with important ideas and research that have contributed to the development of the concept of EVA. The nature of this paper is exclusive to the review of secondary sources, such as theoretical insights as well as the results of numerous empirical research of EVA. Furthermore, the paper will show various adjustments to financial statements before accounting profits can be used to calculate EVA. The results of the aforementioned research will unequivocally present EVA as one of the most widely used and accepted measures of overall firm performance, gaining more popularity when coupled with the notions of strategic (financial management. The paper concludes by determining the role and place of the concept of EVA in the process of value and performance management, as well as strategic management.

  8. ARM Climate Research Facility Spectral Surface Albedo Value-Added Product (VAP) Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McFarlane, S; Gaustad, K; Long, C; Mlawer, E

    2011-07-15

    This document describes the input requirements, output data products, and methodology for the Spectral Surface Albedo (SURFSPECALB) value-added product (VAP). The SURFSPECALB VAP produces a best-estimate near-continuous high spectral resolution albedo data product using measurements from multifilter radiometers (MFRs). The VAP first identifies best estimates for the MFR downwelling and upwelling shortwave irradiance values, and then calculates narrowband spectral albedo from these best-estimate irradiance values. The methodology for finding the best-estimate values is based on a simple process of screening suspect data and backfilling screened and missing data with estimated values when possible. The resulting best-estimate MFR narrowband spectral albedos are used to determine a daily surface type (snow, 100% vegetation, partial vegetation, or 0% vegetation). For non-snow surfaces, a piecewise continuous function is used to estimate a high spectral resolution albedo at 1 min temporal and 10 cm-1 spectral resolution.

  9. Added Value of Early Literacy Screening in Preschool Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyer, Sai Nandini; Dawson, M Zachary; Sawyer, Mark I; Abdullah, Neelab; Saju, Leya; Needlman, Robert D

    2017-09-01

    The Early Literacy Screener (ELS) is a brief screen for emergent literacy delays in 4- and 5-year-olds. Standard developmental screens may also flag these children. What is the value of adding the ELS? Parents of children aged 4 (n = 45) and 5 (n = 26) years completed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 (ASQ-3), the Survey of Well-Being in Young Children (SWYC), and the ELS. Rates of positive agreement (PA), negative agreement (NA), and overall agreement (Cohen's κ) across the various screening tools were calculated. Early literacy delays were detected in 51% of those who passed the ASQ and 38% of those who passed the SWYC. For ELS versus ASQ, κ = 0.18, PA = 0.36 (95% CI = 0.23-0.51), and NA = 0.83 (95% CI = 0.66-0.92). For ELS versus SWYC, κ = 0.42, PA = 0.61 (95% CI = 0.45-0.75), and NA = 0.82 (95% CI = 0.65-0.92). The ELS adds value by flagging early literacy delays in many children who pass either the ASQ-3 or SWYC.

  10. A Method for Proposing Valued-Adding Attributes in Customized Housing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia S. Hentschke

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In most emerging economies, there has been many incentives and high availability of funding for low-cost housing projects. This has encouraged product standardization and the application of mass production ideas, based on the assumption that this is the most effective strategy for reducing costs. However, the delivery of highly standardized housing units to customers with different needs, without considering their lifestyle and perception of value, often results in inadequate products. Mass customization has been pointed out as an effective strategy to improve value generation in low-cost housing projects, and to avoid waste caused by renovations done in dwellings soon after occupancy. However, one of the main challenges for the implementation of mass customization is the definition of a set of relevant options based on users’ perceived value. The aim of this paper is to propose a method for defining value adding attributes in customized housing projects, which can support decision-making in product development. The means-end chain theory was used as theoretical framework to connect product attributes and costumers’ values, through the application of the laddering technique. The method was tested in two house-building projects delivered by a company from Brazil. The main contribution of this method is to indicate the customization units that are most important for users along with the explanation of why those units are the most relevant ones.

  11. The Implications of Summer Learning Loss for Value-Added Estimates of Teacher Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gershenson, Seth; Hayes, Michael S.

    2018-01-01

    School districts across the United States increasingly use value-added models (VAMs) to evaluate teachers. In practice, VAMs typically rely on lagged test scores from the previous academic year, which necessarily conflate summer with school-year learning and potentially bias estimates of teacher effectiveness. We investigate the practical…

  12. Value Added Products from Hemicellulose Utilization in Dry Mill Ethanol Plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodney Williamson, ICPB; John Magnuson, PNNL; David Reed, INL; Marco Baez, Dyadic; Marion Bradford, ICPB

    2007-03-30

    The Iowa Corn Promotion Board is the principal contracting entity for this grant funded by the US Department of Agriculture and managed by the US Department of Energy. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board subcontracted with New Jersey Institute of Technology, KiwiChem, Pacific Northwest National Lab and Idaho National Lab to conduct research for this project. KiwiChem conducted the economic engineering assessment of a dry-mill ethanol plant. New Jersey Institute of Technology conducted work on incorporating the organic acids into polymers. Pacific Northwest National Lab conducted work in hydrolysis of hemicellulose, fermentation and chemical catalysis of sugars to value-added chemicals. Idaho National Lab engineered an organism to ferment a specific organic acid. Dyadic, an enzme company, was a collaborator which provided in-kind support for the project. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board collaborated with the Ohio Corn Marketing Board and the Minnesota Corn Merchandising Council in providing cost share for the project. The purpose of this diverse collaboration was to integrate the hydrolysis, the conversion and the polymer applications into one project and increase the likelihood of success. This project had two primary goals: (1) to hydrolyze the hemicellulose fraction of the distillers grain (DG) coproduct coming from the dry-mill ethanol plants and (2) convert the sugars derived from the hemicellulose into value-added co-products via fermentation and chemical catalysis.

  13. a European Global Navigation Satellite System — the German Market and Value Adding Chain Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vollerthun, A.; Wieser, M.

    2002-03-01

    Since Europe is considering to establish a "market-driven" European Global Navigation Satellite System, the German Center of Aerospace initiated a market research to justify a German investment in such a European project. The market research performed included the following market segments: aviation, railway, road traffic, shipping, surveying, farming, military, space applications, leisure, and sport. In these market segments, the forementioned inputs were determined for satellite navigation hardware (receivers) as well as satellite navigation services. The forecast period was from year 2007 to 2017. For the considered period, the market amounts to a total of DM 83.0 billion (approx. US $50 billion), whereas the satellite navigation equipment market makes up DM 39.8 billion, and charges for value-added-services amount to DM 43.2 billion. On closer examination road traffic can be identified as the dominant market share, both in the receiver-market and service-market. With a share of 96% for receivers and 73% for services the significance of the road traffic segment becomes obvious. The second part of this paper investigates the effects the market potential has on the Value-Adding-Chain. Therefore, all participants in the Value-Adding-Chain are identified, using industrial cost structure models the employment effect is analyzed, and possible tax revenues for the state are examined.

  14. Preparation of value-added metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) using waste PET bottles as source of acid linker

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Dyosiba, Xoliswa

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available of Value-added Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) Using Waste PET Bottles as Source of Acid Linker Xoliswa Dyosiba, Jianwei Ren, Nicholas M. Musyoka, Henrietta W. Langmi, Mkhulu Mathe, Maurice S. Onyango PII: S2214-9937(16)30053-7 DOI: doi:10.1016/j..., Hen- rietta W. Langmi, Mkhulu Mathe, Maurice S. Onyango, Preparation of Value-added Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) Using Waste PET Bottles as Source of Acid Linker, Sustainable Materials and Technologies (2016), doi:10.1016/j.susmat.2016...

  15. Added Diagnostic Value of Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers for Differential Dementia Diagnosis in an Autopsy-Confirmed Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemantsverdriet, Ellis; Feyen, Bart F E; Le Bastard, Nathalie; Martin, Jean-Jacques; Goeman, Johan; De Deyn, Peter Paul; Bjerke, Maria; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan

    2018-01-01

    Differential dementia diagnosis remains a challenge due to overlap of clinical profiles, which often results in diagnostic doubt. Determine the added diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for differential dementia diagnosis as compared to autopsy-confirmed diagnosis. Seventy-one dementia patients with autopsy-confirmed diagnoses were included in this study. All neuropathological diagnoses were established according to standard neuropathological criteria and consisted of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other dementias (NONAD). CSF levels of Aβ1 - 42, T-tau, and P-tau181 were determined and interpreted based on the IWG-2 and NIA-AA criteria, separately. A panel of three neurologists experienced with dementia made clinical consensus dementia diagnoses. Clinical and CSF biomarker diagnoses were compared to the autopsy-confirmed diagnoses. Forty-two patients (59%) had autopsy-confirmed AD, whereas 29 patients (41%) had autopsy-confirmed NONAD. Of the 24 patients with an ambiguous clinical dementia diagnosis, a correct diagnosis would have been established in 67% of the cases applying CSF biomarkers in the context of the IWG-2 or the NIA-AA criteria respectively. AD CSF biomarkers have an added diagnostic value in differential dementia diagnosis and can help establishing a correct dementia diagnosis in case of ambiguous clinical dementia diagnoses.

  16. The impact of net value added on predicting the earnings and operating cash flow: An empirical study based on Tehran Stock Exchange

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omid Imani Khoshkhoo

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Information content of earnings and its components and other issues except the earnings such as the operating cash flow (OCF have been tested widely in the accounting and finance literature. Since they have had an essential role in most cases including financial reporting, contracts and evaluation models, specifying the items and financial variables that have had a significant relationship with these two variables are expected to be of utmost importance. One example of these variables and indicators is the value added. Although this variable has an economic concept, reporting of value added to the beneficiaries of business entity as the value-added statement has been observed in the field of accounting theories for many years. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of net value added (NVA as the basic result of value-added statement in predicting the accounting earnings and operating cash flow. For this purpose, the relationship of changes in net value added with the changes in accounting earnings and operating cash flow of listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange from 2007 to 2011 was tested. Firstly the Single variable cross-sectional regression was analyzed and then the panel data analysis with the PLS technique was used to do a pooled analysis. The results of testing research hypothesis imply the significant relationship between changes in net value added and accounting earnings in the listed companies as cross-sectional and pooled forms. The results showed no significant relationship between changes in net value added and operating cash flow in the listed companies neither in cross-sectional nor pooled form.

  17. Photocatalytic conversion of CO{sub 2} into value-added and renewable fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Lan [State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002 (China); College of Chemistry, New Campus, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108 (China); Xu, Yi-Jun, E-mail: yjxu@fzu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002 (China); College of Chemistry, New Campus, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108 (China)

    2015-07-01

    Graphical abstract: Artificial photosynthesis that uses solar light energy to convert CO{sub 2} to form value-added and renewable fuels is considered to be a promising avenue to solve the problems relating to CO{sub 2}. However, the state-of-the-art photocatalytic efficiency of CO{sub 2} reduction is far from being optimal as a viable economical process. The present review is mainly focused on the progress made in exploring more efficient photocatalysts for CO{sub 2} photoreduction and the undergoing mechanisms, which is anticipated to contribute to further advancement in CO{sub 2} photoreduction with on-going efforts. - Highlights: • Brief introduction about the basic principle of artificial photosynthesis of CO{sub 2}. • Progress made in exploring more efficient photocatalysts for CO{sub 2} reduction. • Efforts devoted to excavate the in-depth mechanism of CO{sub 2} photoreduction. • Perspectives on future research directions and open issues in CO{sub 2} photoreduction. - Abstract: The increasing energy crisis and the worsening global climate caused by the excessive utilization of fossil fuel have boosted tremendous research activities about CO{sub 2} capture, storage and utilization. Artificial photosynthesis that uses solar light energy to convert CO{sub 2} to form value-added and renewable fuels such as methane or methanol has been consistently drawing increasing attention. It is like killing two birds with one stone since it can not only reduce the greenhouse effects caused by CO{sub 2} emission but also produce value added chemicals for alternative energy supplying. This review provides a brief introduction about the basic principles of artificial photosynthesis of CO{sub 2} and the progress made in exploring more efficient photocatalysts from the viewpoint of light harvesting and photogenerated charge carriers boosting. Moreover, the undergoing mechanisms of CO{sub 2} photoreduction are discussed with selected examples, in terms of adsorption of

  18. Ten years of medical education registrars: Value added?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brazil, Victoria; Davin, Lorna

    2018-05-22

    There is a paucity of any long-term follow up of trainees' career pathways or organisational outcomes from medical education registrar posts in emergency medicine training. We report on the experience of a selected group of medical education trainees during and subsequent to their post and reflect on the value added to emergency medical education at three institutions. We conducted an online survey study, examining quantitative outcomes and qualitative reflections, of emergency physicians who had previously undertaken a medical education registrar post. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise responses to Likert items. The authors independently analysed and interpreted the reflective responses to identify key themes and sub-themes. Nineteen of 21 surveys were completed. Most respondents were in formal educational roles, in addition to clinical practice. The thematic analysis revealed that the medical education registrar experience, and the subsequent contribution of these trainees to medical education, is significantly shaped by external factors. These include the extent of faculty support, and the value placed on medical education by hospitals/departments/leaders. Acquisition of knowledge and skills in medical education was only part of a broader developmental journey and transitioning of identity for the trainees. Our findings suggest that medical education trainees in emergency medicine progress to educational roles, and most respondents attribute their career progression to the medical education training experience. We recommend that medical education registrar programmes need to be valued within the clinical service, supported by faculty and a 'community of practice', to support trainees' transition to clinician educator leadership roles. © 2018 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

  19. Added value of pharmacogenetic testing in predicting statin response: Results from the REGRESS trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Der Baan, F.H.; Knol, M.J.; Maitland-Van Der Zee, A.H.; Regieli, J.J.; Van Iperen, E.P.A.; Egberts, A.C.G.; Klungel, O.H.; Grobbee, D.E.; Jukema, J.W.

    2013-01-01

    It was investigated whether pharmacogenetic factors, both as single polymorphism and as gene-gene interactions, have an added value over non-genetic factors in predicting statin response. Five common polymorphisms were selected in apolipoprotein E, angiotensin-converting enzyme, hepatic lipase and

  20. Reformers, Batting Averages, and Malpractice: The Case for Caution in Value-Added Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gleason, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    The essay considers two analogies that help to reveal the limitations of value-added modeling: the first, a comparison with batting averages, shows that the model's reliability is quite limited even though year-to-year correlation figures may seem impressive; the second, a comparison between medical malpractice and so-called educational…

  1. Value Added Service and Service Quality from the Customer’s Perspective: An Empirical Investigation in Thai Telecommunication Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saowanee Srikanjanarak

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Increasing global competition has led to an intensively competitive market among service providers. Several organizations have created and developed a variety of products or services; in particular the telecommunications industry has developed mobile phone services. Various value-added services linked to mobile phone services, such as communication, entertainment, information services and money transfer services have been intensively incorporated to sustain and serve the customer’s need, which in turn demands performance maximization. In service marketing literature, SERVQUAL and SERVPERF have been reported as failing to measure service quality in new industries such as the retail industry’s B2B service. Therefore, service quality models for the mobile phone service industry need to be further developed.Service quality models have placed little focus on value-added services and no research has yet operationalized the concept of value-added services in a service quality model from the customer’s perspective of the service industry. Hence, this paper aims to conceptualize a service quality model based on Gronroos’ Model, other exploratory research and the current market situation in the service context. A total of 998 structured questionnaires were distributed to pre-paid mobile phones users in nine provinces around Thailand. The results indicate four dimensions of service quality. The value-added services have shown a particularly high level of measurements of satisfaction. These findings reveal a meaningful insight into how customers perceive the value-added services offered by service providers. This will help managers to design an appropriate variety of service options that suit their customers and in turn may lead to the development of a long-term relationship with their organizations.

  2. Value added services to CANDU plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kakaria, B.K.

    2003-01-01

    if applicable, new entities which will enhance its ability to deliver that value. Secondly, AECL is beginning to look at its customers in a different light. That is, as partners, rather than just clients. The key to success of any partnership is the goal that partners share in working together to add value to each other's business, sharing risks and rewards. This is a departure from AECL's traditional customer/supplier model. Forging partnerships requires establishing long-term relationships and setting long term performance goals. This means adjusting over time AECL's business processes, information technology, quality programs, and staffing resources to meet the changing needs of its clients. In light of this changing environment, AECL recently implemented a new operational structure, effective April 1, 2003. In this restructuring, five business units have been created, each focussing on key business offerings to its client base. The Services Business (SBU) is one of the units and will focus on providing value added services to AECL's partners. This paper will describe key elements of the new SBU and the themes that have influenced the design and organization and also provide an update on AECL's achievements in the Service Area. (author)

  3. The forecaster's added value in QPF

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turco, M.; Milelli, M.

    2010-03-01

    : - despite the overall improvement in global scale and the fact that the resolution of the limited area models has increased considerably over recent years, the QPF produced by the meteorological models involved in this study has not improved enough to allow its direct use: the subjective HQPF continues to offer the best performance for the period +24 h/+48 h (i.e. the warning period in the Piemonte system); - in the forecast process, the step where humans have the largest added value with respect to mathematical models, is the communication. In fact the human characterization and communication of the forecast uncertainty to end users cannot be replaced by any computer code; - eventually, although there is no novelty in this study, we would like to show that the correct application of appropriated statistical techniques permits a better definition and quantification of the errors and, mostly important, allows a correct (unbiased) communication between forecasters and decision makers.

  4. Designing products with added emotional value : development and application of an approach for research through design

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Desmet, P.M.A.; Overbeeke, C.J.; Tax, S.J.E.T.

    2001-01-01

    In this paper, a design approach is introduced for designing products with added emotional value. First, the approach was established, based on a theoretical framework and a non-verbal instrument to measure emotional responses. Second, the value of the design approach was assessed by applying it to

  5. An Exploratory Study of Value-Added and Academic Optimism of Urban Reading Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huff-Franklin, Clairie L.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore the correlation between state-recorded value- added (VA) scores and academic optimism (AO) scores, which measure teacher self-efficacy, trust, and academic emphasis. The sample for this study is 87 third through eighth grade Reading teachers, from fifty-five schools, in an urban school district in Ohio who…

  6. THE VALUE ADDED TAX AND THE EVASION CHAIN OF INTRA-COMMUNITARIAN VAT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deliman Eugen

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The relationship IRS taxpayer runs the risk of turning into a psychological war in which, however, given the positions held, the IRS is by far on a favorable footing. Between the apparently excessively formal position held by the IRS, which seems to conceal behind the laws, and the sometimes forced interpretation of the laws, by the taxpayer, there are the courts of law, also disturbed by the legislative changes which appear to have entered a perpetual motion. The objective of the fiscal administration regarding the value added tax is to combat tax evasion and fraud. It is very important to combat evasion in the VAT field because it represents the indirect tax of the largest share in the consolidated general budget. VAT evasion represents the intention of not paying the tax, withholding or not declaring it, or requesting its refund which would not be fit, due to the exaggeration of the deductible amount of the VAT. The essential aim of the IRS inspector is to verify the correctness of the declared amount of the value added tax. It should also be observed whether the incorrectness is deliberate or whether it was due to misunderstanding, carelessness or the ignorance of the payer. In all cases judgment is necessary, as for the cases of negligence the amount to be paid must be corrected and accompanied by applying fines and / or penalties, and in the cases of intended fraud legal actions are to be applied in order to obtain a conviction. Deceitful deductions represent other methods for tax evasion and are undertaken based on fake invoices, invoices often used several times for deduction, or invoices related to purchases that have never been made. Thus there are examples of economic agents who have practiced the right to deduct the VAT due to the acquisition of goods which consisted in the property of other economic agents. In other cases noticed was the deduction of VAT on goods or services that were not included in the activities of the economic

  7. Recent progress in the development of solid catalysts for biomass conversion into high value-added chemicals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hara, Michikazu; Nakajima, Kiyotaka; Kamata, Keigo

    2015-06-01

    In recent decades, the substitution of non-renewable fossil resources by renewable biomass as a sustainable feedstock has been extensively investigated for the manufacture of high value-added products such as biofuels, commodity chemicals, and new bio-based materials such as bioplastics. Numerous solid catalyst systems for the effective conversion of biomass feedstocks into value-added chemicals and fuels have been developed. Solid catalysts are classified into four main groups with respect to their structures and substrate activation properties: (a) micro- and mesoporous materials, (b) metal oxides, (c) supported metal catalysts, and (d) sulfonated polymers. This review article focuses on the activation of substrates and/or reagents on the basis of groups (a)-(d), and the corresponding reaction mechanisms. In addition, recent progress in chemocatalytic processes for the production of five industrially important products (5-hydroxymethylfurfural, lactic acid, glyceraldehyde, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone, and furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid) as bio-based plastic monomers and their intermediates is comprehensively summarized.

  8. The validity and reliability of value-added and target-setting procedures with special reference to Key Stage 3

    OpenAIRE

    Moody, Ian Robin

    2003-01-01

    The validity of value-added systems of measurement is crucially dependent upon there being a demonstrably unambiguous relationship between the so-called baseline, or intake measures, and any subsequent measure of performance at a later stage. The reliability of such procedures is dependent on the relationships between these two measures being relatively stable over time. A number of questions arise with regard to both the validity and reliability of value-added procedures at any level in educ...

  9. Exploring Valued-Added Options - Edge-Glued Panels and Blanks Offer Value-Added Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bob Smith; Philip A. Araman

    1997-01-01

    As sawmills search for new opportunities to add value to rough sawn lumber, many consider producing dimension parts as one solution. Assembling dimension parts into edge-glued panels or standard blanks can add even further value. Blanks are defined as pieces of solid wood (which may be edge-glued) that are manufactured to a predetermined size. This article discusses...

  10. Methods for conversion of carbohydrates in ionic liquids to value-added chemicals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Haibo [The Woodlands, TX; Holladay, Johnathan E [Kennewick, WA; Zhang, Zongchao C [Norwood, NJ

    2011-05-10

    Methods are described for converting carbohydrates including, e.g., monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides in ionic liquids to value-added chemicals including furans, useful as chemical intermediates and/or feedstocks. Fructose is converted to 5-hydroxylmethylfurfural (HMF) in the presence of metal halide and acid catalysts. Glucose is effectively converted to HMF in the presence of chromium chloride catalysts. Yields of up to about 70% are achieved with low levels of impurities such as levulinic acid.

  11. Handling value added tax (VAT) in economic evaluations: should prices include VAT?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bech, Mickael; Christiansen, Terkel; Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte

    2006-01-01

    In health economic evaluations, value added tax is commonly treated as a transfer payment. Following this argument, resources are valued equal to their net-of-tax prices in economic evaluations applying a societal perspective. In this article we argue that if there is the possibility that a new healthcare intervention may expand the healthcare budget, the social cost of input factors should be the gross-of-tax prices and not the net-of-tax prices. The rising interest in cost-benefit analysis and the use of absolute thresholds, net benefit estimates and acceptability curves in cost-effectiveness analysis makes this argument highly relevant for an appropriate use of these tools in prioritisation.

  12. In search for the added value of FM: what we know and what we need to learn

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; van der Voordt, Theo; Coenen, Christian

    2012-01-01

    Purpose – This article aims to present and compare research perspectives and theoretical reflections from a variety of academic fields on the concept of added value of facilities management. Design/methodology/approach – The starting point is the so-called FM Value Map, which was presented...... in a recent article in Facilities by Per Anker Jensen in 2010. The article is a first result of the work in the EuroFM research collaboration group and is based on literature reviews of the most influential journals within the academic fields of facilities management (FM), corporate real estate management...... and business-to-business marketing. Findings – Good relationship management and building on trust is shown to be equally important as delivering the agreed services. Originality/value – Usually the concept of added value is discussed from a monodisciplinary point-of-view. The different backgrounds...

  13. Added value of IP-10 as a read-out of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jenum, Synne; Dhanasekaran, Sivmakumaran; Ritz, Christian

    2016-01-01

    We have explored the added value of IFNγ-inducible protein 10 as a read-out of Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific immunity in young Indian children where the sensitivity of the IGRA for tuberculosis (TB) is poor. Reduced frequency of indeterminate results and an increased sensitivity for TB, sug...

  14. Trade in Value Added (TiVA in EU New Member States (EU NMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ines Kersan-Škabić

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Contemporary trade analysis indicates the necessity of calculating trade in value added (TiVA which is created through global value chains (GVCs. This paper aims to determine the characteristics and importance of GVC trade in the EU new member states (EU NMS with special emphasis placed on the industry level. The results demonstrate different levels of GVC participation of the EU NMS, where Hungary is the most integrated country and Croatia the least integrated. Regional GVCs exist because a huge part of value added (VA comes from EU member states, as in gross export as well as in final demand (Europe as a hub. The most important source countries are Germany and Italy and there is also evidence of geographical and historical relations between the countries. The domination of backward participation has been found in the analysis made on the industrial level, i.e. the EU NMS are highly dependent on the import of intermediates for the production and export of final products. Strong interconnections between imports of intermediate products and exports of final products have been found in the manufacture of computers, electronics and optical products; manufacture of wood, paper, printing and reproduction. This research has contributed to the scarce literature concerning GVC (TiVA in EU NMS and has opened up new possibilities for further research and analysis.

  15. Japanese Consumption Tax with Regard to Cross-Border Service Trading : A Comparison with EU-Type Value Added Taxes

    OpenAIRE

    細木, 宏和; ホソキ, ヒロカズ; Hirokazu, HOSOKI

    2011-01-01

    This paper examines a tax jurisdiction issue of the consumption tax system with regard to Japanese service trading. The Destination principle for service trading has not been established in Japanese consumption tax, but taxation at the place of consumption is gradually being adopted for value-added taxes in the EU. Under these circumstances, it is necessary for us to revise the Japanese consumption tax system in favor of taxation at the place of consumption, using EU-type value-added tax syst...

  16. Amendments to the Law on Value Added Tax in Kosovo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simeana Beshi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Main purpose of this paper is to explore and analyze the objectives and effects of amendments in the Law on Value Added Tax (VAT as part of the new fiscal package in Kosovo. This paper is based on a quantitative analysis. Some of the methods used in this paperwork are: historical- , descriptive-, and comparative method. It relies on facts and researches conducted by international organizations, based on productive forces and on the development of economic capacities in general, also a comparative overview of the fiscal policies applied in different states. This paper presents also the challenges of Kosovo, towards EU, by harmonizing tax legislation, fiscal policy and combating tax evasion.

  17. Value Added Tax Gap in the Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jana Stavjaňová

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with an estimation of tax evasion of value added tax in the Czech Republic during 2006–2012. For the estimation I have used the concept of tax gap which is based on a comparison of the theoretical tax liability in the economy with the actual tax receipts. According to my results the VAT gap in the Czech Republic gradually increased during the observed period and it is more than CZK 100 billion in the last three years. The most significant growth of VAT gap occurred between the years 2007 and 2008 and between 2011 and 2012 when the reduced VAT rate was increased by 4 percentage points. The second part of the paper focuses on impact of my estimates on tax policy of the Czech Republic. I discuss two different possibilities how the additional revenue gained from VAT gap reduction could be used – either to decrease the government deficit and therefore to meet the Maastricht criteria or to decrease tax burden on labour which influences particularly low income workers.

  18. Open strings on AdS2 branes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Peter; Ooguri, Hirosi.; Park, Jongwon; Tannenhauser, Jonathan

    2001-01-01

    We study the spectrum of open strings on AdS 2 branes in AdS 3 in an NS-NS background, using the SL(2,R) WZW model. When the brane carries no fundamental string charge, the open string spectrum is the holomorphic square root of the spectrum of closed strings in AdS 3 . It contains short and long strings, and is invariant under spectral flow. When the brane carries fundamental string charge, the open string spectrum again contains short and long strings in all winding sectors. However, branes with fundamental string charge break half the spectral flow symmetry. This has different implications for short and long strings. As the fundamental string charge increases, the brane approaches the boundary of AdS 3 . In this limit, the induced electric field on the worldvolume reaches its critical value, producing noncommutative open string theory on AdS 2

  19. Subtraction by Distraction: Publishing Value-Added Estimates of Teachers by Name Hinders Education Reform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epstein, Diana; Miller, Raegen T.

    2011-01-01

    In August 2010 the "Los Angeles Times" published a special report on their website featuring performance ratings for nearly 6,000 Los Angeles Unified School District teachers. The move was controversial because the ratings were based on so-called value-added estimates of teachers' contributions to student learning. As with most…

  20. The added value of FM – updates from the RNG group

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Per Anker; van der Voordt, Theo

    2014-01-01

    The research group on “The Added Value of FM” was established in 2009 on the initiative of Per Anker Jensen, Technical University of Denmark, who was chairman of EuroFM’s Research Network Group in 2007-2008. He also became chairman of the new group and now leads the group together with Theo van der...... Voordt, Delft University of Technology. The group from the beginning included researchers from Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, Switzerland and UK. The general background for establishing this collaborative research group was that the perception and application of FM during the last decades gradually...

  1. The Disaggregation of Value-Added Test Scores to Assess Learning Outcomes in Economics Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walstad, William B.; Wagner, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    This study disaggregates posttest, pretest, and value-added or difference scores in economics into four types of economic learning: positive, retained, negative, and zero. The types are derived from patterns of student responses to individual items on a multiple-choice test. The micro and macro data from the "Test of Understanding in College…

  2. In search for the added value of FM : What we know and what we need to learn

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jensen, PA; van der Voordt, Theo; Coenen, C; von Felten, D; Lindholm, AL; Balslev-Nielsen, S; Riratanaphong, C.; Pfenniger, M

    2012-01-01

    Purpose
    – This article aims to present and compare research perspectives and theoretical reflections from a variety of academic fields on the concept of added value of facilities management.

    Design/methodology/approach
    – The starting point is the so‐called FM Value Map, which was

  3. Multi Blending Technology (MBT): mineral processing method for increasing added value of marginal reserve

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agustinus, E. T. S.

    2018-02-01

    Indonesia's position on the path of ring of fire makes it rich in mineral resources. Nevertheless, in the past, the exploitation of Indonesian mineral resources was uncontrolled resulting in environmental degradation and marginal reserves. Exploitation of excessive mineral resources is very detrimental to the state. Reflecting on the occasion, the management and utilization of Indonesia's mineral resources need to be good in mining practice. The problem is how to utilize the mineral reserve resources effectively and efficiently. Utilization of marginal reserves requires new technologies and processing methods because the old processing methods are inadequate. This paper gives a result of Multi Blending Technology (MBT) Method. The underlying concept is not to do the extraction or refinement but processing through the formulation of raw materials by adding an additive and produce a new material called functional materials. Application of this method becomes important to be summarized into a scientific paper in a book form, so that the information can spread across multiple print media and become focused on and optimized. This book is expected to be used as a reference for stakeholder providing added value to environmentally marginal reserves in Indonesia. The conclusions are that Multi Blending Technology (MBT) Method can be used as a strategy to increase added values effectively and efficiently to marginal reserve minerals and that Multi Blending Technology (MBT) method has been applied to forsterite, Atapulgite Synthesis, Zeoceramic, GEM, MPMO, SMAC and Geomaterial.

  4. Value-Added Business Based On Small Scale Of Fisheries A Case Study On Nortern And Shouthern Coasts Of Java Lamongan And Pelabuhanratu Regency Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budi Wardono

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The development of fisheries sector is intended to improve the role of creating a strong linkage with other sectors by increasing the value added absorbing labor forces and increasing peoples income so that this can make the economy grow well. The value added is a value that increases due to a commodity that has been processed transported or stored in a production. Lamongan and Pelabuhanratu regencies are one of fisheries centers on the north and the south coast of Java Island. The aim of this research was to know the value added and the business margin of fisheries from the processing and marketing aspects. The research was carried out in two locations Northern coast Lamongan regencies and Shouther coasts Pelabuhanratu regencies Indoneisa. The data used were primary data the people involved in the business including fishing marketing and processing product. The results showed that the process of fisheries product yielded the value added and margin that were created from the incorporation of business benefit added input contribution other input and direct reward for the labor forces. The value added and the business margin of product processing can reach 2 to 3 fold from the main input value. The value added and the business margin of fisheries product processing were very big. This was the source of economy growth there. The effort to develop the business of fisheries product processing in the small scale need to be supported with various programs especially in the market access and funding.

  5. E-Books in the Early Literacy Environment: Is There Added Value for Vocabulary Development?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roskos, Kathleen A.; Sullivan, Shannon; Simpson, Danielle; Zuzolo, Nicole

    2016-01-01

    Using a theory of affordances, this study examines the introduction of e-books into the early literacy environment as resources that can increase children's opportunity for learning vocabulary. Added value was observed under conditions of (1) book browsing, (2) instruction, and (3) a print-only condition. A total of 33 4-year-olds (18 boys, 15…

  6. Accounting for Co-Teaching: A Guide for Policymakers and Developers of Value-Added Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isenberg, Eric; Walsh, Elias

    2015-01-01

    We outline the options available to policymakers for addressing co-teaching in a value-added model. Building on earlier work, we propose an improvement to a method of accounting for co-teaching that treats co-teachers as teams, with each teacher receiving equal credit for co-taught students. Hock and Isenberg (2012) described a method known as the…

  7. Measurement Error and Bias in Value-Added Models. Research Report. ETS RR-17-25

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kane, Michael T.

    2017-01-01

    By aggregating residual gain scores (the differences between each student's current score and a predicted score based on prior performance) for a school or a teacher, value-added models (VAMs) can be used to generate estimates of school or teacher effects. It is known that random errors in the prior scores will introduce bias into predictions of…

  8. THE CONTRIBUTION OF SMES TO JOB CREATION AND ADDED VALUE IN THE ROMANIAN ECONOMY. THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ştefăniţă Şuşu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs play a crucial role in the European economy, representing a major source of entrepreneurial skills, innovationand job creation. The values of the main indicators of SMEs in the year 2013, the aggregate in the European Union, give a suggestive image of the contribution of SMEs in the Europeaneconomy, namely 99% of all enterprises in the EU are SMEs, 66% of employees are employed in SMEs, 58% of the value added generated in the economy is achieved by SMEs. However, SMEs are often confronted with market imperfections, often having difficulties in obtaining financing or crediting, especially in the phaseof newly established SMEs (start-up. Limited financial resources may also hamper access to new technologies, investment and innovation. Therefore, support for SMEs is one of the priorities ofthe European Commission for growth, creating jobs and economic and social cohesion.Regarding Romania, it is the eighth country in the EU, with a great number of employees inSMEs and with a contribution of 3% to the total workforce in the EU-28 SME sector. We are not better at the chapter of the added value achieved in the SME sector, ranking 17thin the European Union, with a 0.7% contribution to total value added in the EU-28, in front of Greece (0.93% and before Hungary (0.68%, countries with a higher number of SMEs. The disparity report between the share of added value and the potential ofRomania's demographic development reflects the large gap between the productivity and the competitiveness of Romanian SMEs. The example of other countries, such as Austria and Belgium, shows a greater contribution to value added (3.1% and 2.8% compared with 2% share of the total number of employees in the aggregate European SMEs, which demonstrates a higher level of productivity. Also, this is true for the strongest European economies, such as Germany, France and Britain.

  9. Supergravity one-loop corrections on AdS7 and AdS3, higher spins and AdS/CFT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matteo Beccaria

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available As was shown earlier, the one-loop correction in 10d supergravity on AdS5×S5 corresponds to the contributions to the vacuum energy and 4d boundary conformal anomaly which are minus the values for one N=4 Maxwell supermultiplet, thus reproducing the subleading term in the N2−1 coefficient in the dual SU(N SYM theory. We perform similar one-loop computations in 11d supergravity on AdS7×S4 and 10d supergravity on AdS3×S3×T4. In the AdS7 case we find that the corrections to the 6d conformal anomaly a-coefficient and the vacuum energy are again minus the ones for one (2,0 tensor multiplet, suggesting that the total a-anomaly coefficient for the dual (2,0 theory is 4N3−9/4N−7/4 and thus vanishes for N=1. In the AdS3 case the one-loop correction to the vacuum energy or 2d central charge turns out to be equal to that of one free (4,4 scalar multiplet, i.e. is c=+6. This reproduces the subleading term in the central charge c=6(Q1Q5+1 of the dual 2d CFT describing decoupling limit of D5–D1 system. We also present the expressions for the 6d a-anomaly coefficient and vacuum energy contributions of general-symmetry higher spin field in AdS7 and consider their application to tests of vectorial AdS/CFT with the boundary conformal 6d theory represented by free scalars, spinors or rank-2 antisymmetric tensors.

  10. Adding Production Value Through Application of Value Based Scheduling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindhard, Søren; Wandahl, Søren

    2012-01-01

    Customer value is a key goal in the Lean philosophy, essentially only actions that adds value should be conducted. In a transformation view, the basic lean approach is to remove waste, which indirectly increases value (or withstand value lose). Lean Construction acknowledges two different types o...... be minimized and management should seek towards democratic leadership....

  11. Ka-Band ARM Zenith Radar Corrections Value-Added Product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, Karen [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Toto, Tami [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Giangrande, Scott [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

    2017-10-15

    The KAZRCOR Value -added Product (VAP) performs several corrections to the ingested KAZR moments and also creates a significant detection mask for each radar mode. The VAP computes gaseous attenuation as a function of time and radial distance from the radar antenna, based on ambient meteorological observations, and corrects observed reflectivities for that effect. KAZRCOR also dealiases mean Doppler velocities to correct velocities whose magnitudes exceed the radar’s Nyquist velocity. Input KAZR data fields are passed through into the KAZRCOR output files, in their native time and range coordinates. Complementary corrected reflectivity and velocity fields are provided, along with a mask of significant detections and a number of data quality flags. This report covers the KAZRCOR VAP as applied to the original KAZR radars and the upgraded KAZR2 radars. Currently there are two separate code bases for the different radar versions, but once KAZR and KAZR2 data formats are harmonized, only a single code base will be required.

  12. Adding Value to Customers and Developing Brands through Electronic Newsletters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra ZBUCHEA

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Online communication is highly efficient for contemporary business, in most market sectors. In this context, companies use several online instruments in order to achieve a wide array of objectives. Among these, online newsletters (e-newsletters are widely used, since they offer a lot of benefits for companies. Since they are flexible in terms of format and content, they are suitable to address a wide variety of publics. Therefore, e-newsletters could be not just informative (as they are widely seen, but also could add-value to customers and support branding processes and relationship development. The present paper investigated various benefits of e-newsletters in this context and highlights some rules to ensure an effective added-value e-newsletter. The research made on the e-newsletters of 5 of the leading publishing-houses in Romania shows that, at least in this market sector, this instrument is not used at its full potential. It is considered in most cases a way to stimulate sales, either directly by announcing sales, or indirectly by announcing new books releases. In some cases news on events and on the activity of the publishing-houses are presenting, leading to image development.

  13. WRF added value to capture the spatio-temporal drought variability

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Valdecasas Ojeda, Matilde; Quishpe-Vásquez, César; Raquel Gámiz-Fortis, Sonia; Castro-Díez, Yolanda; Jesús Esteban-Parra, María

    2017-04-01

    Regional Climate Models (RCM) has been widely used as a tool to perform high resolution climate fields in areas with high climate variability such as Spain. However, the outputs provided by downscaling techniques have many sources of uncertainty associated at different aspects. In this study, the ability of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to capture drought conditions has been analyzed. The WRF simulation was carried out for a period that spanned from 1980 to 2010 over a domain centered in the Iberian Peninsula with a spatial resolution of 0.088°, and nested in the coarser EURO-CORDEX domain (0.44° spatial resolution). To investigate the spatiotemporal drought variability, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) has been computed at two different timescales: 3- and 12-months due to its suitability to study agricultural and hydrological droughts. The drought indices computed from WRF outputs were compared with those obtained from the observational (MOTEDAS and MOPREDAS) datasets. In order to assess the added value provided by downscaled fields, these indices were also computed from the ERA-Interim Re-Analysis database, which provides the lateral and boundary conditions of the WRF simulations. Results from this study indicate that WRF provides a noticeable benefit with respect to ERA-Interim for many regions in Spain in terms of drought indices, greater for SPI than for SPEI. The improvement offered by WRF depends on the region, index and timescale analyzed, being greater at longer timescales. These findings prove the reliability of the downscaled fields to detect drought events and, therefore, it is a remarkable source of knowledge for a suitable decision making related to water-resource management. Keywords: Drought, added value, Regional Climate Models, WRF, SPEI, SPI. Acknowledgements: This work has been financed by the projects P11-RNM-7941 (Junta de Andalucía-Spain) and

  14. Stability of warped AdS3 vacua of topologically massive gravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anninos, Dionysios; Esole, Mboyo; Guica, Monica

    2009-01-01

    AdS 3 vacua of topologically massive gravity (TMG) have been shown to be perturbatively unstable for all values of the coupling constant except the chiral point μl = 1. We study the possibility that the warped vacua of TMG, which exist for all values of μ, are stable under linearized perturbations. In this paper, we show that spacelike warped AdS 3 vacua with Compere-Detournay boundary conditions are indeed stable in the range μl>3. This is precisely the range in which black hole solutions arise as discrete identifications of the warped AdS 3 vacuum. The situation somewhat resembles chiral gravity: although negative energy modes do exist, they are all excluded by the boundary conditions, and the perturbative spectrum solely consists of boundary (pure large gauge) gravitons.

  15. Value added tax evasion and excise duty fraud on fuel market in the Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel Semerád

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with analysis of current problems in the motor fuel market. It analyzes bottlenecks in setting the legislative changes in value added tax, excise tax and the legislation concerning fuels. The biggest problem is tax evasions that favor one group of business entities at the expense of another, and also cause that the state loses revenues mainly from indirect taxes. Therefore, attention is directed to quality control of fuels as a means of consumer protection and prevention of tax evasion and ways to combat tax evasion in import, distribution and storage of mineral oils. The examples are the most common errors found in fraudulent companies. Based on the data collected the possible ultimate evasion was estimated. Therefore, I propose that value added tax law should be amended and some other measures to improve supervision by public authorities like tax authorities and customs administration offices should be taken.

  16. Preventing the link between SES and high-risk behaviors: "value-added" education, drug use and delinquency in high-risk, urban schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tobler, Amy L; Komro, Kelli A; Dabroski, Alexis; Aveyard, Paul; Markham, Wolfgang A

    2011-06-01

    We examined whether schools achieving better than expected educational outcomes for their students influence the risk of drug use and delinquency among urban, racial/ethnic minority youth. Adolescents (n = 2,621), who were primarily African American and Hispanic and enrolled in Chicago public schools (n = 61), completed surveys in 6th (aged 12) and 8th (aged 14) grades. Value-added education was derived from standardized residuals of regression equations predicting school-level academic achievement and attendance from students' sociodemographic profiles and defined as having higher academic achievement and attendance than that expected given the sociodemographic profile of the schools' student composition. Multilevel logistic regression estimated the effects of value-added education on students' drug use and delinquency. After considering initial risk behavior, value-added education was associated with lower incidence of alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use; stealing; and participating in a group-against-group fight. Significant beneficial effects of value-added education remained for cigarette and marijuana use, stealing and participating in a group-against-group fight after adjustment for individual- and school-level covariates. Alcohol use (past month and heavy episodic) showed marginally significant trends in the hypothesized direction after these adjustments. Inner-city schools may break the links between social disadvantage, drug use and delinquency. Identifying the processes related to value-added education in order to improve school environments is warranted given the high costs associated with individual-level interventions.

  17. Aluminum recovery as a product with high added value using aluminum hazardous waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David, E.; Kopac, J.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Granular and compact aluminum dross were physically and chemically characterized. • A relationship between density, porosity and metal content from dross was established. • Chemical reactions involving aluminum in landfill and negative consequences are shown. • A processing method for aluminum recovering from aluminum dross was developed. • Aluminum was recovered as an value product with high grade purity such as alumina. -- Abstract: The samples of hazardous aluminum solid waste such as dross were physically and chemically characterized. A relationship between density, porosity and metal content of dross was established. The paper also examines the chemical reactions involving aluminum dross in landfill and the negative consequences. To avoid environmental problems and to recovery the aluminum, a processing method was developed and aluminum was recovered as an added value product such as alumina. This method refers to a process at low temperature, in more stages: acid leaching, purification, precipitation and calcination. At the end of this process aluminum was extracted, first as Al 3+ soluble ions and final as alumina product. The composition of the aluminum dross and alumina powder obtained were measured by applying the leaching tests, using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and chemical analysis. The mineralogical composition of aluminum dross samples and alumina product were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the morphological characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The method presented in this work allows the use of hazardous aluminum solid waste as raw material to recover an important fraction from soluble aluminum content as an added value product, alumina, with high grade purity (99.28%)

  18. Exploring AdS waves via nonminimal coupling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ayon-Beato, Eloy; Hassaiene, Mokhtar

    2006-01-01

    We consider nonminimally coupled scalar fields to explore the Siklos spacetimes in three dimensions. Their interpretation as exact gravitational waves propagating on AdS space restrict the source to behave as a pure radiation field. We show that the related pure radiation constraints single out a unique self-interaction potential depending on one coupling constant. For a vanishing coupling constant, this potential reduces to a mass term with a mass fixed in terms of the nonminimal-coupling parameter. This mass dependence allows the existence of several free cases including massless and tachyonic sources. There even exists a particular value of the nonminimal-coupling parameter for which the corresponding mass exactly compensates the contribution generated by the negative scalar curvature, producing a genuinely massless field in this curved background. The self-interacting case is studied in detail for the conformal coupling. The resulting gravitational wave is formed by the superposition of the free and the self-interaction contributions, except for a critical value of the coupling constant where a nonperturbative effect relating the strong and weak regimes of the source appears. We establish a correspondence between the scalar source supporting an AdS wave and a pp wave by showing that their respective pure radiation constraints are conformally related, while their involved backgrounds are not. Finally, we consider the AdS waves for topologically massive gravity and its limit to conformal gravity

  19. Analisis Determinasi Financial Performance Perusahaan Industri Manufaktur Makanan Dan Minuman Yang Go Public Suatu Pendekatan Metode Economic Value Added (EVA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azhar Affandi

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to obtain empirical evidence concerning the effect of Financial Performance Determinant (Capital Structure and Profit Margin on effectively Economic Value Added (EVA method at the food and beverage manufacture business sectors. The results of this study is expected to contribute for the development of financial management and strategic management. The study was carried out at the food and beverage manufacture business sectors registered in Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI. The characteristic of this study is confirmatory research. The research method used is associative and explanatory, and to hypothesis testing of the research has used multiple regression. Sampling method is used purposive sampling with total sample are 15 corporate registered in Bursa Efek Indonesia during 2006-2007 period. While for data processing is used SPSS 14.0 for windows programs. The result of this study is: The first hypothesis testing founded theres the significant effect of capital structure on effectively Economic Value Added (EVA. The second hypothesis testing founded theres the significant effect of profit margin on effectively Economic Value Added (EVA. So, in the EVA predicting can used capital structure and profit margin indicators, because capital structure and profit margin both have a significant effect on effectively Economic Value Added (EVA.

  20. Capturing the added value of three-dimensional television : viewing experience and naturalness of stereoscopic images

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Seuntiëns, P.J.H.; Heynderickx, I.E.J.; IJsselsteijn, W.A.

    2008-01-01

    The term "image quality" is often used to describe the performance of an imaging system. Recent research showed however that image quality may not be the most appropriate term to capture the evaluative processes associated with experiencing three-dimensional (3D) images. The added value of depth in

  1. Value-Added Models for Teacher Preparation Programs: Validity and Reliability Threats, and a Manageable Alternative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brady, Michael P.; Heiser, Lawrence A.; McCormick, Jazarae K.; Forgan, James

    2016-01-01

    High-stakes standardized student assessments are increasingly used in value-added evaluation models to connect teacher performance to P-12 student learning. These assessments are also being used to evaluate teacher preparation programs, despite validity and reliability threats. A more rational model linking student performance to candidates who…

  2. Make Room Value Added: Principals' Human Capital Decisions and the Emergence of Teacher Observation Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldring, Ellen; Grissom, Jason A.; Rubin, Mollie; Neumerski, Christine M.; Cannata, Marisa; Drake, Timothy; Schuermann, Patrick

    2015-01-01

    Increasingly, states and districts are combining student growth measures with rigorous, rubric-aligned teacher observations in constructing teacher evaluation measures. Although the student growth or value-added components of these measures have received much research and policy attention, the results of this study suggest that the data generated…

  3. Exploring Value-Added Options

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bob Smith; Philip A. Araman

    1997-01-01

    This paper looks at various opportunities for sawmills to add value to rough sawn lumber. The paper discusses edge-glued panels and blanks, mouldings and millwork, niche market opportunities, and timber bridge members.

  4. The added value of contrast enhanced spectral mammography in identification of multiplicity of suspicious lesions in dense breast

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amr Farouk Ibrahim Moustafa

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the additive value of Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM in the preoperative assessment of malignant lesions in dense breast parenchyma regarding multiplicity. Material and methods: The study included 160 women having heterogeneous dense breast parenchyma (ACR c and d with suspicious lesions identified on sono mammography examination. All patients performed contrast enhanced spectral mammography to confirm or exclude lesion multiplicity. The number of lesions was calculated in the contrast high energy subtraction images with the reference standard being histopathological analysis. Results: Adding CESM to sono-mammography the accuracy in identifying multiple malignant lesion increased from 81.8% accuracy of sono-mammography up to 100% accuracy after adding CESM. Conclusion: Contrast enhanced spectral mammogram showed an added value in the preoperative assessment of breast masses increasing the accuracy of detection of lesions and multiplicity (multifocality and multi-centricity. Keywords: Breast cancer, Contrast enhanced spectral mammogram

  5. Virtual radiology rounds: adding value in the digital era

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fefferman, Nancy R.; Strubel, Naomi A.; Prithiani, Chandan; Chakravarti, Sujata; Caprio, Martha; Recht, Michael P.

    2016-01-01

    To preserve radiology rounds in the changing health care environment, we have introduced virtual radiology rounds, an initiative enabling clinicians to remotely review imaging studies with the radiologist. We describe our initial experience with virtual radiology rounds and referring provider impressions. Virtual radiology rounds, a web-based conference, use remote sharing of radiology workstations. Participants discuss imaging studies by speakerphone. Virtual radiology rounds were piloted with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Congenital Cardiovascular Care Unit (CCVCU). Providers completed a survey assessing the perceived impact and overall value of virtual radiology rounds on patient care using a 10-point scale. Pediatric radiologists participating in virtual radiology rounds completed a survey assessing technical, educational and clinical aspects of this methodology. Sixteen providers responded to the survey; 9 NICU and 7 CCVCU staff (physicians, nurse practitioners and fellows). Virtual radiology rounds occurred 4-5 sessions/week with an average of 6.4 studies. Clinicians rated confidence in their own image interpretation with a 7.4 average rating for NICU and 7.5 average rating for CCVCU. Clinicians unanimously rated virtual radiology rounds as adding value. NICU staff preferred virtual radiology rounds to traditional rounds and CCVCU staff supported their new participation in virtual radiology rounds. Four of the five pediatric radiologists participating in virtual radiology rounds responded to the survey reporting virtual radiology rounds to be easy to facilitate (average rating: 9.3), to moderately impact interpretation of imaging studies (average rating: 6), and to provide substantial educational value for radiologists (average rating: 8.3). All pediatric radiologists felt strongly that virtual radiology rounds enable increased integration of the radiologist into the clinical care team (average rating: 8.8). Virtual radiology rounds are a

  6. Virtual radiology rounds: adding value in the digital era

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fefferman, Nancy R.; Strubel, Naomi A.; Prithiani, Chandan; Chakravarti, Sujata; Caprio, Martha; Recht, Michael P. [New York University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States)

    2016-11-15

    To preserve radiology rounds in the changing health care environment, we have introduced virtual radiology rounds, an initiative enabling clinicians to remotely review imaging studies with the radiologist. We describe our initial experience with virtual radiology rounds and referring provider impressions. Virtual radiology rounds, a web-based conference, use remote sharing of radiology workstations. Participants discuss imaging studies by speakerphone. Virtual radiology rounds were piloted with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Congenital Cardiovascular Care Unit (CCVCU). Providers completed a survey assessing the perceived impact and overall value of virtual radiology rounds on patient care using a 10-point scale. Pediatric radiologists participating in virtual radiology rounds completed a survey assessing technical, educational and clinical aspects of this methodology. Sixteen providers responded to the survey; 9 NICU and 7 CCVCU staff (physicians, nurse practitioners and fellows). Virtual radiology rounds occurred 4-5 sessions/week with an average of 6.4 studies. Clinicians rated confidence in their own image interpretation with a 7.4 average rating for NICU and 7.5 average rating for CCVCU. Clinicians unanimously rated virtual radiology rounds as adding value. NICU staff preferred virtual radiology rounds to traditional rounds and CCVCU staff supported their new participation in virtual radiology rounds. Four of the five pediatric radiologists participating in virtual radiology rounds responded to the survey reporting virtual radiology rounds to be easy to facilitate (average rating: 9.3), to moderately impact interpretation of imaging studies (average rating: 6), and to provide substantial educational value for radiologists (average rating: 8.3). All pediatric radiologists felt strongly that virtual radiology rounds enable increased integration of the radiologist into the clinical care team (average rating: 8.8). Virtual radiology rounds are a

  7. The becoming organisation : a conversation about the added value of Chaordic Systems Thinking for organisational renewal

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eijnatten, van F.M.; Wäfler, T.; Eijnatten, van F.M.

    2002-01-01

    This conceptual contribution explores the added value of Chaordic System Thinking (CST) for organisational renewal, and its consequences for future research. The paper starts with some essentials of CST (concepts of attractor, holon, discontinuous development, nonlinearity, chaordic properties). In

  8. Impact of the Sugar Import Reduction on Iran Economic Value Added (Input- Output Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fateme Hayatgheibi

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed at understanding interactions and linkages between the sugar sector with other economic sectors, and the influence of sugar import reduction on the economic value added. To achieve the purpose, the Input-Output table of Iran for the year 2006, Leontief inverse matrix and hypothetical extraction method were used. Based on the results, sugar industry has the most forward linkages with “Manufacture of food products and beverages,…”, “husbandry, aviculture,…”, “cultivation, horticulture”, “bakery products” and “restaurants”. This sector has also strong backward linkages with “cultivation, horticulture”, “chemicals and chemical products”, “other services”, “transport and telecommunication” and “financial services, insurance and bank”. Furthermore, either one unit increase in the final demand of sugar or one unit decrease in the sugar import increases the output of whole economic, agricultural and fishing, industry and mining, and services sectors by 2.3060, 0.6019, 1.4331, and 0.2710 unit, respectively. The increasing coefficients of the value added for the above sectors are 0.4308, 0.3700, and 0.1992 unit, respectively.

  9. The Validity of Value-Added Estimates from Low-Stakes Testing Contexts: The Impact of Change in Test-Taking Motivation and Test Consequences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finney, Sara J.; Sundre, Donna L.; Swain, Matthew S.; Williams, Laura M.

    2016-01-01

    Accountability mandates often prompt assessment of student learning gains (e.g., value-added estimates) via achievement tests. The validity of these estimates have been questioned when performance on tests is low stakes for students. To assess the effects of motivation on value-added estimates, we assigned students to one of three test consequence…

  10. New Massive Gravity and AdS4 Counterterms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jatkar, Dileep P.; Sinha, Aninda

    2011-01-01

    We show that the recently proposed Dirac-Born-Infeld extension of new massive gravity emerges naturally as a counterterm in four-dimensional anti-de Sitter space (AdS 4 ). The resulting on-shell Euclidean action is independent of the cutoff at zero temperature. We also find that the same choice of counterterm gives the usual area law for the AdS 4 Schwarzschild black hole entropy in a cutoff-independent manner. The parameter values of the resulting counterterm action correspond to a c=0 theory in the context of the duality between AdS 3 gravity and two-dimensional conformal field theory. We rewrite this theory in terms of the gauge field that is used to recast 3D gravity as a Chern-Simons theory.

  11. Sulphur highways : value-added solutions to create sulphur demand

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Macedo, R.

    2010-09-15

    Producers generally view sulphur as a nuisance with essentially no benefit. In Alberta, a greater portion of sulphur production will shift from natural gas to the oilsands producing areas where there is limited infrastructure to move it out. Increased amounts of sour oil and gas production together with greater fuel desulphurization have also led to more sulphur being produced. In order to address the inevitable storage issue, Shell is considering value-added uses for the product, such as sulphur asphalt. The company developed Thiopave, a sulphur-based product for use in asphalt paving mixtures that can improve the mechanical performance of asphalt. The sulphur can be added to the asphalt mix as a solid pellet, which helps reduce the emission of sulphur vapour, odour and eye irritation. Twenty Thiopave projects are planned for the 2010 paving season in 9 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces. Sulphur Enhanced Asphalt Modifier (SEAM) was the first generation of Thiopave developed in 2003. SEAM replaces 20 to 25 percent by volume of the bitumen in asphalt mix. The properties allow Thiopave-enhanced roads to perform better than conventional roads in both consistently high temperature regions and climates with wide temperature variations. In 2007, an asphalt mix containing 40 percent by mass of Thiopave was used in a trial in Qatar. The Thiopave asphalt mix was compared with a conventional mix at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40 degrees C to determine the stiffness ratio. It was determined that Thiopave mixes containing high-penetration bitumen can be used to build temperature resistant roads that are stiffer in hot summer temperatures while improving the pavement's cold weather cracking performance. 1 ref., 4 figs.

  12. On the Practices and Challenges of Measuring Higher Education Value Added: The Case of Colombia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shavelson, Richard J.; Domingue, Benjamin W.; Mariño, Julián P.; Molina Mantilla, Adriana; Morales Forero, Andrés; Wiley, Edward E.

    2016-01-01

    Changes in the nature of higher education are leading towards increased interest in the assessment of student learning. This study considers an attempt to apply value-added models for the purposes of comparing student learning across institutions, taking care to discuss special considerations inherent to the application of these models to higher…

  13. Methodology for adding and amending glycaemic index values to a nutrition analysis package.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Levis, Sharon P

    2011-04-01

    Since its introduction in 1981, the glycaemic index (GI) has been a useful tool for classifying the glycaemic effects of carbohydrate foods. Consumption of a low-GI diet has been associated with a reduced risk of developing CVD, diabetes mellitus and certain cancers. WISP (Tinuviel Software, Llanfechell, Anglesey, UK) is a nutrition software package used for the analysis of food intake records and 24 h recalls. Within its database, WISP contains the GI values of foods based on the International Tables 2002. The aim of the present study is to describe in detail a methodology for adding and amending GI values to the WISP database in a clinical or research setting, using data from the updated International Tables 2008.

  14. Practice of adding value to materials by a neutron irradiation in research reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Soo Youl; Jun, Byung Jin

    2008-01-01

    Adding more value to materials by a neutron irradiation is one of the utilization areas of research reactors. A neutron transmutation doping (NTD) of Si, a gemstone coloration, and a track etched membrane production are the three important subjects and these are being serviced on a commercial basis. Nevertheless, a further enhancement of the technologies is necessary, and the IAEA/RCA has supported the development and dissemination of the relevant technologies. This article reports on what was achieved during the IAEA/RCA Regional Training Course on the Design and Operation of Neutron Irradiation Facilities which was held in Korea in April 2008 for two weeks. The Course, which was open to the Asian RCA member states, consisted of lectures, presentations from each country, and design and experiment exercises concerning the above three subjects. The lectures covered not only the principles but also the practice in every detail. The experience of Korea on the NTD and those of Indonesia and Thailand on the gemstone coloration drew concentrated attention of the participants. Meanwhile, as one of the exercises the participants designed a device for the NTD or the gemstone irradiation and analyzed its performance from the neutronics point of view. The Course was successful in deepening the understanding on the practice of value adding technologies and also in sharing some ideas for their enhancement

  15. Practice of adding value to materials by a neutron irradiation in research reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Soo-Youl; Jun, Byung Jin

    2008-01-01

    Adding more value to materials by a neutron irradiation is one of the utilization areas of research reactors. A neutron transmutation doping (NTD) of Si, a gemstone coloration, and a track-etched membrane production are the three important subjects and these are being serviced on a commercial basis. Nevertheless, a further enhancement of the technologies is necessary, and the IAEA/RCA has supported the development and dissemination of the relevant technologies. This article reports on what was achieved during the IAEA/RCA Regional Training Course on the Design and Operation of Neutron Irradiation Facilities which was held in Korea in April 2008 for two weeks. The Course, which was open to the Asian RCA member states, consisted of lectures, presentations from each country, and design and experiment exercises concerning the above three subjects. The lectures covered not only the principles but also the practice in every detail. The experience of Korea on the NTD and those of Indonesia and Thailand on the gemstone coloration drew concentrated attention of the participants. Meanwhile, as one of the exercises the participants designed a device for the NTD or the gemstone irradiation and analyzed its performance from the neutronics point of view. The Course was successful in deepening the understanding on the practice of value-adding technologies and also in sharing some ideas for their enhancement. (author)

  16. Practice of adding value to materials by a neutron irradiation in research reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Soo Youl; Jun, Byung Jin

    2008-01-01

    Adding value to materials by a neutron irradiation is one of the utilization areas of research reactors. A neutron transmutation doping (NTD) of Si, a gemstone coloration, and a track-etched membrane production are the three important subjects and these are being serviced on a commercial basis. Nevertheless, a further enhancement of the technologies is necessary, and the IAEA/RCA has supported the development and dissemination of the relevant technologies. This article report on what was achieved during the IAEA/RCA regional Training Course on the Design and Operation of Neutron Irradiation Facilities which was held in Korea in April 2008 for two weeks. The Course, which was open to the Asian RCA member states, consisted of lectures, presentations from each country, and design and experiment exercises concerning the above three subjects. The lectures covered not only the principles but also the practice in every detail. The experience of Korea on the NTD and those of indonesia and Thailand on the gemstone coloration drew concentrated attention of the participants. Meanwhile, as one of the exercises the participants designed a device for the NTD or the gemstone irradiation and analyzed its performance from the neutronics point of view. The Course was successful in deepening the understanding on the practice of value-adding technologies and also in sharing some ideas for their enhancement

  17. No added diagnostic value of non-phosphorylated tau fraction (p-taurel) in CSF as a biomarker for differential dementia diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goossens, Joery; Bjerke, Maria; Struyfs, Hanne; Niemantsverdriet, Ellis; Somers, Charisse; Van den Bossche, Tobi; Van Mossevelde, Sara; De Vil, Bart; Sieben, Anne; Martin, Jean-Jacques; Cras, Patrick; Goeman, Johan; De Deyn, Peter Paul; Van Broeckhoven, Christine; van der Zee, Julie; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan

    2017-07-14

    The Alzheimer's disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers Aβ 1-42 , t-tau, and p-tau 181 overlap with other diseases. New tau modifications or epitopes, such as the non-phosphorylated tau fraction (p-tau rel ), may improve differential dementia diagnosis. The goal of this study is to investigate if p-tau rel can improve the diagnostic performance of the AD CSF biomarker panel for differential dementia diagnosis. The study population consisted of 45 AD, 45 frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), 45 dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and 21 Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) patients, and 20 cognitively healthy controls. A substantial subset of the patients was pathology-confirmed. CSF levels of Aβ 1-42 , t-tau, p-tau 181 , and p-tau rel were determined with commercially available single-analyte enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses, and area under the curve (AUC) values were compared using DeLong tests. The diagnostic performance of single markers as well as biomarker ratios was determined for each pairwise comparison of different dementia groups and controls. The addition of p-tau rel to the AD biomarker panel decreased its diagnostic performance when discriminating non-AD, FTLD, and DLB from AD. As a single marker, p-tau rel increased the diagnostic performance for CJD. No significant difference was found in AUC values with the addition of p-tau rel when differentiating between AD or non-AD dementias and controls. The addition of p-tau rel to the AD CSF biomarker panel failed to improve differentiation between AD and non-AD dementias.

  18. Added value of ovarian reserve testing on patient characteristics in the prediction of ovarian response and ongoing pregnancy: an individual patient data approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Broer, S.L.; Disseldorp, J. van; Broeze, K.A.; Dolleman, M.; Opmeer, B.C.; Bossuyt, P.; Eijkemans, M.J.; Mol, B.W.; Broekmans, F.J.; Anderson, R.A.; Ashrafi, M.; Bancsi, L.F.; Caroppo, E.; Copperman, A.; Ebner, T.; Eldar Geva, M.; Erdem, M.; Greenblatt, E.M.; Jayaprakasan, K.; Fenning, R.; Klinkert, E.R.; Kwee, J.; Lambalk, C.B.; La Marca, A.; McIlveen, M.; Merce, L.T.; Muttukrishna, S.; Nelson, S.M.; Ng, H.Y.; Popovic-Todorovic, B.; Smeenk, J.M.J.; Tomas, C.; Linden, P.J. van der; Rooij, I.A. van; et al.,

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND Although ovarian reserve tests (ORTs) are frequently used prior to IVF treatment for outcome prediction, their added predictive value is unclear. We assessed the added value of ORTs to patient characteristics in the prediction of IVF outcome. METHODS An individual patient data (IPD)

  19. The impact of student composition on schools’ value-added performance : a comparison of seven empirical studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Timmermans, Anneke C.; Thomas, Sally M.

    In many countries, policy makers struggle with the development of value added indicators of school performance for educational accountability purposes and in particular with the choice whether school context measured in the form of student composition variables should be included. This study

  20. A practical guide for implementing and maintaining value-added clinical systems learning roles for medical students using a diffusion of innovations framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalo, Jed D; Graaf, Deanna; Ahluwalia, Amarpreet; Wolpaw, Dan R; Thompson, Britta M

    2018-03-21

    After emphasizing biomedical and clinical sciences for over a century, US medical schools are expanding experiential roles that allow students to learn about health care delivery while also adding value to patient care. After developing a program where all 1st-year medical students are integrated into interprofessional care teams to contribute to patient care, authors use a diffusion of innovations framework to explore and identify barriers, facilitators, and best practices for implementing value-added clinical systems learning roles. In 2016, authors conducted 32 clinical-site observations, 29 1:1 interviews with mentors, and four student focus-group interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Authors discussed drafts of the categorization scheme, and agreed upon results and quotations. Of 36 sites implementing the program, 17 (47%) remained, 8 (22%) significantly modified, and 11 (31%) withdrew from the program. Identified strategies for implementing value-added roles included: student education, patient characteristics, patient selection methods, activities performed, and resources. Six themes influencing program implementation and maintenance included: (1) educational benefit, (2) value added to patient care from student work, (3) mentor time and site capacity, (4) student engagement, (5) working relationship between school, site, and students, and, (6) students' continuity at the site. Health systems science is an emerging focus for medical schools, and educators are challenged to design practice-based roles that enhance education and add value to patient care. Health professions' schools implementing value-added roles will need to invest resources and strategize about best-practice strategies to guide efforts.

  1. Castanea sativa by-products: a review on added value and sustainable application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braga, Nair; Rodrigues, Francisca; Oliveira, M Beatriz P P

    2015-01-01

    Castanea sativa Mill. is a species of the family Fagaceae abundant in south Europe and Asia. The fruits (chestnut) are an added value resource in producing countries. Chestnut economic value is increasing not only for nutritional qualities but also for the beneficial health effects related with its consumption. During chestnut processing, a large amount of waste material is generated namely inner shell, outer shell and leaves. Studies on chestnut by-products revealed a good profile of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and cardioprotective properties. These agro-industrial wastes, after valorisation, can be used by other industries, such as pharmaceutical, food or cosmetics, generating more profits, reducing pollution costs and improving social, economic and environmental sustainability. The purpose of this review is to provide knowledge about the type of chestnut by-products produced, the studies concerning its chemical composition and biological activity, and also to discuss other possible applications of these materials.

  2. Community Policy Initiatives. In search of European Union added value

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beceiro, Rodriguez A.

    2004-01-01

    The European Commission's proposal, approved in early 2003, contains general requirements more of a political and juridical nature rather than a technical one, and is generally based on the IAEA's Safety Fundamentals and on the Joint Convention on the safety of spent fuel and on the safety of radioactive waste, already ratified by nearly all Member States of the European Union. In general terms, it can be said that the proposal aims at creating a common legal framework enabling the harmonization of policies and practices at Community level and, in particular, to motivate the decision-making processes in Member States with the objective to make real progress to implement permanent solutions for spent fuel and radioactive waste. Generally speaking, it can be said that implementing permanent solutions for radioactive waste depends, not only on the availability of technical solutions and economical resources, but also to a great extent on socio-political factors, which requires the development of complex decision-making processes involving concerned stakeholders. These processes are country specific and very difficult to be extrapolated from one country to another, because they largely depend on historical and cultural aspects as well as on the countries' legal and administrative systems. Nevertheless, there exist common elements, which are critical for the development of these processes. On the one hand, there is the need for political willingness to initiate its development and, on the other hand, there are the rules of the game necessary to guide the process. These two elements should conform the objective and driving force of the Directive for the development of national programmes. This is the context in which the Directive can contribute with a positive effect in national programmes and provide real added value on existing international framework. The proposed Directive should provide beneficial effects in national programmes if it keeps to the intentions and

  3. Mixed-symmetry fields in AdS(5), conformal fields, and AdS/CFT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Metsaev, R.R. [Department of Theoretical Physics, P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute,Leninsky prospect 53, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation)

    2015-01-15

    Mixed-symmetry arbitrary spin massive, massless, and self-dual massive fields in AdS(5) are studied. Light-cone gauge actions for such fields leading to decoupled equations of motion are constructed. Light-cone gauge formulation of mixed-symmetry anomalous conformal currents and shadows in 4d flat space is also developed. AdS/CFT correspondence for normalizable and non-normalizable modes of mixed-symmetry AdS fields and the respective boundary mixed-symmetry anomalous conformal currents and shadows is studied. We demonstrate that the light-cone gauge action for massive mixed-symmetry AdS field evaluated on solution of the Dirichlet problem amounts to the light-cone gauge 2-point vertex of mixed-symmetry anomalous shadow. Also we show that UV divergence of the action for mixed-symmetry massive AdS field with some particular value of mass parameter evaluated on the Dirichlet problem amounts to the action of long mixed-symmetry conformal field, while UV divergence of the action for mixed-symmetry massless AdS field evaluated on the Dirichlet problem amounts to the action of short mixed-symmetry conformal field. We speculate on string theory interpretation of a model which involves short low-spin conformal fields and long higher-spin conformal fields.

  4. The taxable events for the Value-Added Tax (VAT based on a Comparative Law approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walker Villanueva Gutiérrez

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available This article analyzes the definitions of the main taxable events for the Value-Added Tax (VAT based on a comparative approach to thelegislation of different countries (Spain, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Peru. In this regard, it analyzes which legislations offer definitions according to the principles of generality, fiscal neutrality and legal certainty for VAT. Moreover, it points out that the VAT systems of those countries do not require as a condition for the configuration of the taxable events that the transactions involve a «value added» or a final consumption. In the specificcase of «supplies of goods», the VAT systems have a similar definition of the taxable event, although there are a few differences. However, in the case of«supplies of services», which is the most important taxable event for VAT, there are important differences at the time each country defines it. This is not a desirable effect for the international trade of services, since the lack of harmonization produces double taxation or double non taxation.

  5. The Added Value of Water Footprint Assessment for National Water Policy: A Case Study for Morocco

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schyns, Joseph Franciscus; Hoekstra, Arjen Ysbert

    2014-01-01

    A Water Footprint Assessment is carried out for Morocco, mapping the water footprint of different activities at river basin and monthly scale, distinguishing between surface- and groundwater. The paper aims to demonstrate the added value of detailed analysis of the human water footprint within a

  6. Bioreactors for lignocellulose conversion into fermentable sugars for production of high added value products

    OpenAIRE

    Liguori, Rossana; Ventorino, Valeria; Pepe, Olimpia; Faraco, Vincenza

    2015-01-01

    Lignocellulosic biomasses derived from dedicated crops and agro-industrial residual materials are promising renewable resources for the production of fuels and other added value bioproducts. Due to the tolerance to a wide range of environments, the dedicated crops can be cultivated on marginal lands, avoiding conflict with food production and having beneficial effects on the environment. Besides, the agro-industrial residual materials represent an abundant, available, and cheap source of biop...

  7. Relationship Between Adding Value, Trust and Job Satisfaction Based on Teachers€™ Perceptions

    OpenAIRE

    Masoumeh Pourrajab, Roya Roustaee, Ramli Bin Basri, Baharak Talebloo, Sara Kasmaienezhadfard

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between adding value; trust and teacher satisfaction among primaryand secondary school teachers in Malaysia.In this research,375 teachers were selected based on convenience random sampling from teachers who study in educational field. This study is quantitative research and data were collected based on questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive, correlation and regression analysis. Based on Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coeffi...

  8. Supply of goods free of charge in value added tax system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milošević Miloš

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Consideration represents one of the cumulatively prescribed conditions for the taxation of supplies of goods in value added tax system. In the absence of consideration there is in general no basis for taxation, which makes room for untaxed final consumption - the case in which a taxpayer deducts input VAT on purchased good that is subsequently used for his own or another person's final consumption free of charge. In this paper, the author analyzes the situations in which, for taxation purposes, the supplies of goods free of charge will be treated equally as supplies for consideration and, relying on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Justice, notes the deviations of the domestic practice from the communautaire one, while providing concrete recommendations for their elimination.

  9. Is added sustainability equal to added value?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues, Lucelia; Garratt, Tim; Ebbs, Nick

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The question is whether sustainable buildings are gaining advantage in the market. ► Case studies imply there is a difference between commercial and residential markets. ► People may not (yet) be willing to pay more rent for energy efficient offices. ► People may be willing to pay more to buy an energy efficient home. ► Could energy efficient buildings become a property sector in the near future? - Abstract: Buildings are the most important economical sector in the world but also the major contributors of environmental damage, from the sourcing of raw materials through to the energy used for their functioning and to the disposal of their elements once their life cycle comes to an end. Almost half of the UK’s carbon emissions come from the use of buildings and houses alone account for more than 30% of all primary energy demand. In an attempt to reduce this impact, the British Government is pushing towards the development of energy efficient and zero carbon buildings, both in new construction and in the existing stock. But how is the market receiving such buildings? Are energy efficient buildings gaining a competitive advantage in the current marketplace? In some countries such as The Netherlands, energy efficient houses reach values 2.8% higher on average than normal houses. In the UK the Sustainability Property Index (ISPI) reveals that, for the properties examined in 2010, regular properties delivered a cumulative total return of −10.8%, compared with −14.9% for more energy efficient ones. This is bad news considering the higher capital investment usually needed to achieve zero carbon buildings. The current reality in the UK market seems to be that people may not (yet) be willing to pay more rent for energy efficient buildings. As rent and capital value are inexorably linked, whether or not a building is zero carbon does not yet seem to be affecting property value. This paper does not present definitive answers but discusses possible

  10. Adding value to the decision-making process of mega projects : Fostering strategic ambiguity, redundancy, and resilience

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giezen, Mendel; Salet, Willem; Bertolini, Luca

    2015-01-01

    Current practice in decision-making about mega projects seems to be aimed at reducing complexity by simplification. However, this is often detrimental to the resilience and added value of these projects. This article uses the concept of strategic capacity for analyzing the decision-making process on

  11. A Monte Carlo Simulation Comparing the Statistical Precision of Two High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation Methods: A Value-Added Model and a Composite Measure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Bryden

    2016-01-01

    Value-added models are a class of growth models used in education to assign responsibility for student growth to teachers or schools. For value-added models to be used fairly, sufficient statistical precision is necessary for accurate teacher classification. Previous research indicated precision below practical limits. An alternative approach has…

  12. Consumer evaluation of palatability characteristics of a beef value-added cut compared to common retail cuts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lepper-Blilie, A N; Berg, E P; Germolus, A J; Buchanan, D S; Berg, P T

    2014-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to educate consumers about value-added beef cuts and evaluate their palatability responses of a value cut and three traditional cuts. Three hundred and twenty-two individuals participated in the beef value cut education seminar series presented by trained beef industry educators. Seminar participants evaluated tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall like of four samples, bottom round, top sirloin, ribeye, and a value cut (Delmonico or Denver), on a 9-point scale. The ribeye and the value cut were found to be similar in all four attributes and differed from the top sirloin and bottom round. Correlations and regression analysis found that flavor was the largest influencing factor for overall like for the ribeye, value cut, and top sirloin. The value cut is comparable to the ribeye and can be a less expensive replacement. © 2013.

  13. Recent progress in the development of solid catalysts for biomass conversion into high value-added chemicals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hara, Michikazu; Nakajima, Kiyotaka; Kamata, Keigo

    2015-01-01

    In recent decades, the substitution of non-renewable fossil resources by renewable biomass as a sustainable feedstock has been extensively investigated for the manufacture of high value-added products such as biofuels, commodity chemicals, and new bio-based materials such as bioplastics. Numerous solid catalyst systems for the effective conversion of biomass feedstocks into value-added chemicals and fuels have been developed. Solid catalysts are classified into four main groups with respect to their structures and substrate activation properties: (a) micro- and mesoporous materials, (b) metal oxides, (c) supported metal catalysts, and (d) sulfonated polymers. This review article focuses on the activation of substrates and/or reagents on the basis of groups (a)–(d), and the corresponding reaction mechanisms. In addition, recent progress in chemocatalytic processes for the production of five industrially important products (5-hydroxymethylfurfural, lactic acid, glyceraldehyde, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone, and furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid) as bio-based plastic monomers and their intermediates is comprehensively summarized. (focus issue review)

  14. Recent progress in the development of solid catalysts for biomass conversion into high value-added chemicals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hara, Michikazu; Nakajima, Kiyotaka; Kamata, Keigo

    2015-01-01

    In recent decades, the substitution of non-renewable fossil resources by renewable biomass as a sustainable feedstock has been extensively investigated for the manufacture of high value-added products such as biofuels, commodity chemicals, and new bio-based materials such as bioplastics. Numerous solid catalyst systems for the effective conversion of biomass feedstocks into value-added chemicals and fuels have been developed. Solid catalysts are classified into four main groups with respect to their structures and substrate activation properties: (a) micro- and mesoporous materials, (b) metal oxides, (c) supported metal catalysts, and (d) sulfonated polymers. This review article focuses on the activation of substrates and/or reagents on the basis of groups (a)–(d), and the corresponding reaction mechanisms. In addition, recent progress in chemocatalytic processes for the production of five industrially important products (5-hydroxymethylfurfural, lactic acid, glyceraldehyde, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone, and furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid) as bio-based plastic monomers and their intermediates is comprehensively summarized. PMID:27877800

  15. Bioreactors for lignocellulose conversion into fermentable sugars for production of high added value products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liguori, Rossana; Ventorino, Valeria; Pepe, Olimpia; Faraco, Vincenza

    2016-01-01

    Lignocellulosic biomasses derived from dedicated crops and agro-industrial residual materials are promising renewable resources for the production of fuels and other added value bioproducts. Due to the tolerance to a wide range of environments, the dedicated crops can be cultivated on marginal lands, avoiding conflict with food production and having beneficial effects on the environment. Besides, the agro-industrial residual materials represent an abundant, available, and cheap source of bioproducts that completely cut out the economical and environmental issues related to the cultivation of energy crops. Different processing steps like pretreatment, hydrolysis and microbial fermentation are needed to convert biomass into added value bioproducts. The reactor configuration, the operative conditions, and the operation mode of the conversion processes are crucial parameters for a high yield and productivity of the biomass bioconversion process. This review summarizes the last progresses in the bioreactor field, with main attention on the new configurations and the agitation systems, for conversion of dedicated energy crops (Arundo donax) and residual materials (corn stover, wheat straw, mesquite wood, agave bagasse, fruit and citrus peel wastes, sunflower seed hull, switchgrass, poplar sawdust, cogon grass, sugarcane bagasse, sunflower seed hull, and poplar wood) into sugars and ethanol. The main novelty of this review is its focus on reactor components and properties.

  16. The added value of C-reactive protein measurement in diagnosing pneumonia in primary care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Minnaard, Margaretha C; de Groot, Joris A H; Hopstaken, Rogier M

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) is increasingly being included in the diagnostic work-up for community-acquired pneumonia in primary care. Its added diagnostic value beyond signs and symptoms, however, remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of individual patient data to quantify...... to a basic signs-and-symptoms prediction model was assessed. Outcome measures were improvement in discrimination between patients with and without pneumonia in primary care and improvement in risk classification, both within the individual studies and across studies. RESULTS: Authors of 8 eligible studies (n...... = 5308) provided their data sets. In all of the data sets, discrimination between patients with and without pneumonia improved after CRP measurement was added to the prediction model (extended model), with a mean improvement in the area under the curve of 0.075 (range 0.02-0.18). In a hypothetical cohort...

  17. An Analysis of the Relationship between the Perceptions of Value-Added Measurement and Teacher Job Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viar, Meagan Alexis

    2016-01-01

    Educational leaders are struggling with the issue of academic reform as it pertains to accountability for student achievement. With increasing pressures to improve student achievement, many states have adopted value-added measures to monitor student growth and teacher effectiveness. This study undertook a quantitative approach to examine the…

  18. Microbial Conversion of Waste Glycerol from Biodiesel Production into Value-Added Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong Liu

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Biodiesel has gained a significant amount of attention over the past decade as an environmentally friendly fuel that is capable of being utilized by a conventional diesel engine. However, the biodiesel production process generates glycerol-containing waste streams which have become a disposal issue for biodiesel plants and generated a surplus of glycerol. A value-added opportunity is needed in order to compensate for disposal-associated costs. Microbial conversions from glycerol to valuable chemicals performed by various bacteria, yeast, fungi, and microalgae are discussed in this review paper, as well as the possibility of extending these conversions to microbial electrochemical technologies.

  19. Green Net Value Added as a Sustainability Metric Based on ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sustainability measurement in economics involves evaluation of environmental and economic impact in an integrated manner. In this study, system level economic data are combined with environmental impact from a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a common product. We are exploring a costing approach that captures traditional costs but also incorporates externality costs to provide a convenient, easily interpretable metric. Green Net Value Added (GNVA) is a type of full cost accounting that incorporates total revenue, the cost of materials and services, depreciation, and environmental externalities. Two, but not all, of the potential environmental impacts calculated by the standard LCIA method (TRACI) could be converted to externality cost values. We compute externality costs disaggregated by upstream sectors, full cost, and GNVA to evaluate the relative sustainability of Bounty® paper towels manufactured at two production facilities. We found that the longer running, more established line had a higher GNVA than the newer line. The dominant factors contributing to externality costs are calculated to come from the stationary sources in the supply chain: electricity generation (27-35%), refineries (20-21%), pulp and paper making (15-23%). Health related externalities from Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Carbon Dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions appear largely driven by electricity usage and emissions by the facilities, followed by pulp processing and transport. Supply

  20. Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera Value-Added Product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shkurko, Konstantin [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Garrett, T. [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Gaustad, K [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2016-12-01

    The Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) addresses a need for high-resolution multi-angle imaging of hydrometeors in freefall with simultaneous measurement of fallspeed. As illustrated in Figure 1, the MASC consists of three cameras, separated by 36°, each pointing at an identical focal point approximately 10 cm away. Located immediately above each camera, a light aims directly at the center of depth of field for its corresponding camera. The focal point at which the cameras are aimed lies within a ring through which hydrometeors fall. The ring houses a system of near-infrared emitter-detector pairs, arranged in two arrays separated vertically by 32 mm. When hydrometeors pass through the lower array, they simultaneously trigger all cameras and lights. Fallspeed is calculated from the time it takes to traverse the distance between the upper and lower triggering arrays. The trigger electronics filter out ambient light fluctuations associated with varying sunlight and shadows. The microprocessor onboard the MASC controls the camera system and communicates with the personal computer (PC). The image data is sent via FireWire 800 line, and fallspeed (and camera control) is sent via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) line that relies on RS232-over-USB serial conversion. See Table 1 for specific details on the MASC located at the Oliktok Point Mobile Facility on the North Slope of Alaska. The value-added product (VAP) detailed in this documentation analyzes the raw data (Section 2.0) using Python: images rely on OpenCV image processing library and derived aggregated statistics rely on some clever averaging. See Sections 4.1 and 4.2 for more details on what variables are computed.

  1. PENGARUH MANAJEMEN ASET, MANAJEMEN LIABILITI, MANAJEMEN ASET LIABILITI TERHADAP ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED (EVA PADA PERBANKAN KONVENSIONAL YANG TERDAFTAR DI BURSA EFEK INDONESIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H Hamidah

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Generally, company wants to optimize its profit. Properly manage the asset management, liability management and asset liability management can provide value added profits for the company. A sample of research consists of 18 banking companies listed at Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX during the 2005-2009. This research investigate the relationship net loans/total earning assets (NLA, non performing loan (NPL, liabilities/total assets (LA, equity/total assets (EA, net interest margin (NIM, loan to deposite ratio (LDR on economic value added (EVA. The research use regression of panel data. The result show that net loans/total earning assets (NLA, liabilities/total assets (LA, equity/total assets (EA, net interest margin (NIM, loan to deposite ratio (LDR are have significant effect on economic value added (EVA but non performing loan (NPL.

  2. The Cost-Effectiveness of Replacing the Bottom Quartile of Novice Teachers through Value-Added Teacher Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Stuart S.; Ritter, Joseph

    2009-01-01

    A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted of Gordon, Kane, and Staiger's (2006) proposal to raise student achievement by identifying and replacing the bottom quartile of novice teachers, using value-added assessment of teacher performance. The cost effectiveness of this proposal was compared to the cost effectiveness of voucher programs, charter…

  3. Added Value of uncertainty Estimates of SOurce term and Meteorology (AVESOME)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Jens Havskov; Schönfeldt, Fredrik; Sigg, Robert

    In the early phase of a nuclear accident, two large sources of uncertainty exist: one related to the source term and one associated with the meteorological data. Operational methods are being developed in AVESOME for quantitative estimation of uncertainties in atmospheric dispersion prediction.......g. at national meteorological services, the proposed methodology is feasible for real-time use, thereby adding value to decision support. In the recent NKS-B projects MUD, FAUNA and MESO, the implications of meteorological uncertainties for nuclear emergency preparedness and management have been studied...... uncertainty in atmospheric dispersion model forecasting stemming from both the source term and the meteorological data is examined. Ways to implement the uncertainties of forecasting in DSSs, and the impacts on real-time emergency management are described. The proposed methodology allows for efficient real...

  4. A Comparison between Value-Added School Estimates and Currently Used Metrics of School Accountability in California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagioli, Loris P.

    2014-01-01

    This study compared a value-added approach to school accountability to the currently used metrics of accountability in California of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and Academic Performance Index (API). Five-year student panel data (N?=?53,733) from 29 elementary schools in a large California school district were used to address the research…

  5. Analytical study on holographic superfluid in AdS soliton background

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lai, Chuyu; Pan, Qiyuan; Jing, Jiliang; Wang, Yongjiu

    2016-01-01

    We analytically study the holographic superfluid phase transition in the AdS soliton background by using the variational method for the Sturm–Liouville eigenvalue problem. By investigating the holographic s-wave and p-wave superfluid models in the probe limit, we observe that the spatial component of the gauge field will hinder the phase transition. Moreover, we note that, different from the AdS black hole spacetime, in the AdS soliton background the holographic superfluid phase transition always belongs to the second order and the critical exponent of the system takes the mean-field value in both s-wave and p-wave models. Our analytical results are found to be in good agreement with the numerical findings.

  6. Integration and relative value of biomarkers for prediction of MCI to AD progression: Spatial patterns of brain atrophy, cognitive scores, APOE genotype and CSF biomarkers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao Da

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This study evaluates the individual, as well as relative and joint value of indices obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI patterns of brain atrophy (quantified by the SPARE-AD index, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF biomarkers, APOE genotype, and cognitive performance (ADAS-Cog in progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI to Alzheimer's disease (AD within a variable follow-up period up to 6 years, using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative-1 (ADNI-1. SPARE-AD was first established as a highly sensitive and specific MRI-marker of AD vs. cognitively normal (CN subjects (AUC = 0.98. Baseline predictive values of all aforementioned indices were then compared using survival analysis on 381 MCI subjects. SPARE-AD and ADAS-Cog were found to have similar predictive value, and their combination was significantly better than their individual performance. APOE genotype did not significantly improve prediction, although the combination of SPARE-AD, ADAS-Cog and APOE ε4 provided the highest hazard ratio estimates of 17.8 (last vs. first quartile. In a subset of 192 MCI patients who also had CSF biomarkers, the addition of Aβ1–42, t-tau, and p-tau181p to the previous model did not improve predictive value significantly over SPARE-AD and ADAS-Cog combined. Importantly, in amyloid-negative patients with MCI, SPARE-AD had high predictive power of clinical progression. Our findings suggest that SPARE-AD and ADAS-Cog in combination offer the highest predictive power of conversion from MCI to AD, which is improved, albeit not significantly, by APOE genotype. The finding that SPARE-AD in amyloid-negative MCI patients was predictive of clinical progression is not expected under the amyloid hypothesis and merits further investigation.

  7. Tomosynthesis of the thoracic spine: added value in diagnosing vertebral fractures in the elderly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geijer, Mats [Oerebro University, Department of Radiology, Oerebro (Sweden); Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund (Sweden); Gunnlaugsson, Eirikur; Goetestrand, Simon [Lund University and Skaane University Hospital, Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Lund (Sweden); Weber, Lars [Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund (Sweden); Skaane University Hospital, Department of Radiation Physics, Lund (Sweden); Geijer, Haakan [Oerebro University, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Oerebro (Sweden)

    2017-02-15

    Thoracic spine radiography becomes more difficult with age. Tomosynthesis is a low-dose tomographic extension of radiography which may facilitate thoracic spine evaluation. This study assessed the added value of tomosynthesis in imaging of the thoracic spine in the elderly. Four observers compared the image quality of 50 consecutive thoracic spine radiography and tomosynthesis data sets from 48 patients (median age 67 years, range 55-92 years) on a number of image quality criteria. Observer variation was determined by free-marginal multirater kappa. The conversion factor and effective dose were determined from the dose-area product values. For all observers significantly more vertebrae were seen with tomosynthesis than with radiography (mean 12.4/9.3, P < 0.001) as well as significantly more fractures (mean 0.9/0.7, P = 0.017). The image quality score for tomosynthesis was significantly higher than for radiography, for all evaluated structures. Tomosynthesis took longer to evaluate than radiography. Despite this, all observers scored a clear preference for tomosynthesis. Observer agreement was substantial (mean κ = 0.73, range 0.51-0.94). The calibration or conversion factor was 0.11 mSv/(Gy cm{sup 2}) for the combined examination. The resulting effective dose was 0.87 mSv. Tomosynthesis can increase the detection rate of thoracic vertebral fractures in the elderly, at low added radiation dose. (orig.)

  8. Tomosynthesis of the thoracic spine: added value in diagnosing vertebral fractures in the elderly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geijer, Mats; Gunnlaugsson, Eirikur; Goetestrand, Simon; Weber, Lars; Geijer, Haakan

    2017-01-01

    Thoracic spine radiography becomes more difficult with age. Tomosynthesis is a low-dose tomographic extension of radiography which may facilitate thoracic spine evaluation. This study assessed the added value of tomosynthesis in imaging of the thoracic spine in the elderly. Four observers compared the image quality of 50 consecutive thoracic spine radiography and tomosynthesis data sets from 48 patients (median age 67 years, range 55-92 years) on a number of image quality criteria. Observer variation was determined by free-marginal multirater kappa. The conversion factor and effective dose were determined from the dose-area product values. For all observers significantly more vertebrae were seen with tomosynthesis than with radiography (mean 12.4/9.3, P < 0.001) as well as significantly more fractures (mean 0.9/0.7, P = 0.017). The image quality score for tomosynthesis was significantly higher than for radiography, for all evaluated structures. Tomosynthesis took longer to evaluate than radiography. Despite this, all observers scored a clear preference for tomosynthesis. Observer agreement was substantial (mean κ = 0.73, range 0.51-0.94). The calibration or conversion factor was 0.11 mSv/(Gy cm 2 ) for the combined examination. The resulting effective dose was 0.87 mSv. Tomosynthesis can increase the detection rate of thoracic vertebral fractures in the elderly, at low added radiation dose. (orig.)

  9. Cross-national validation of prognostic models predicting sickness absence and the added value of work environment variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roelen, Corné A M; Stapelfeldt, Christina M; Heymans, Martijn W; van Rhenen, Willem; Labriola, Merete; Nielsen, Claus V; Bültmann, Ute; Jensen, Chris

    2015-06-01

    To validate Dutch prognostic models including age, self-rated health and prior sickness absence (SA) for ability to predict high SA in Danish eldercare. The added value of work environment variables to the models' risk discrimination was also investigated. 2,562 municipal eldercare workers (95% women) participated in the Working in Eldercare Survey. Predictor variables were measured by questionnaire at baseline in 2005. Prognostic models were validated for predictions of high (≥30) SA days and high (≥3) SA episodes retrieved from employer records during 1-year follow-up. The accuracy of predictions was assessed by calibration graphs and the ability of the models to discriminate between high- and low-risk workers was investigated by ROC-analysis. The added value of work environment variables was measured with Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI). 1,930 workers had complete data for analysis. The models underestimated the risk of high SA in eldercare workers and the SA episodes model had to be re-calibrated to the Danish data. Discrimination was practically useful for the re-calibrated SA episodes model, but not the SA days model. Physical workload improved the SA days model (IDI = 0.40; 95% CI 0.19-0.60) and psychosocial work factors, particularly the quality of leadership (IDI = 0.70; 95% CI 053-0.86) improved the SA episodes model. The prognostic model predicting high SA days showed poor performance even after physical workload was added. The prognostic model predicting high SA episodes could be used to identify high-risk workers, especially when psychosocial work factors are added as predictor variables.

  10. Cross-National Validation of Prognostic Models Predicting Sickness Absence and the Added Value of Work Environment Variables

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roelen, Corne A. M.; Stapelfeldt, Christina M.; Heymans, Martijn W.; van Rhenen, Willem; Labriola, Merete; Nielsen, Claus V.; Bultmann, Ute; Jensen, Chris

    Purpose To validate Dutch prognostic models including age, self-rated health and prior sickness absence (SA) for ability to predict high SA in Danish eldercare. The added value of work environment variables to the models' risk discrimination was also investigated. Methods 2,562 municipal eldercare

  11. Cross-National Validation of Prognostic Models Predicting Sickness Absence and the Added Value of Work Environment Variables

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roelen, C.A.M.; Stapelfeldt, C.M.; Heijmans, M.W.; van Rhenen, W.; Labriola, M.; Nielsen, C.V.; Bultmann, U.; Jensen, C.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To validate Dutch prognostic models including age, self-rated health and prior sickness absence (SA) for ability to predict high SA in Danish eldercare. The added value of work environment variables to the models’ risk discrimination was also investigated. Methods 2,562 municipal eldercare

  12. Recent advances on conversion and co-production of acetone-butanol-ethanol into high value-added bioproducts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, Fengxue; Dong, Weiliang; Jiang, Yujia; Ma, Jiangfeng; Zhang, Wenming; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Min; Jiang, Min

    2018-06-01

    Butanol is an important bulk chemical and has been regarded as an advanced biofuel. Large-scale production of butanol has been applied for more than 100 years, but its production through acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation process by solventogenic Clostridium species is still not economically viable due to the low butanol titer and yield caused by the toxicity of butanol and a by-product, such as acetone. Renewed interest in biobutanol as a biofuel has spurred technological advances to strain modification and fermentation process design. Especially, with the development of interdisciplinary processes, the sole product or even the mixture of ABE produced through ABE fermentation process can be further used as platform chemicals for high value added product production through enzymatic or chemical catalysis. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the most recent advances on the conversion of acetone, butanol and ABE mixture into various products, such as isopropanol, butyl-butyrate and higher-molecular mass alkanes. Additionally, co-production of other value added products with ABE was also discussed.

  13. Institutional Entrepreneurship and CSR within international SME’s : the added value for SMEs of employee-oriented CSR in foreign subsidiaries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jong, Dirk Johan; de Graaf, Frank Jan

    2011-01-01

    This paper develops propositions on the added value of normatively-based, employee-oriented corporate social responsibility, specifically on the issue whether an individual owner-manager can add value within a foreign subsidiary by means of normatively-based, employee-oriented CSR. We suggest that

  14. Value-Added Products Derived from Waste Activated Sludge: A Biorefinery Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Zhang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Substantial research has been carried out on sustainable waste activated sludge (WAS management in the last decade. In addition to the traditional approach to reduce its production volume, considering WAS as a feedstock to produce bio-products such as amino acids, proteins, short chain fatty acids, enzymes, bio-pesticides, bio-plastics, bio-flocculants and bio-surfactants represents a key component in the transformation of wastewater treatment plants into biorefineries. The quality of these bio-products is a key factor with respect to the feasibility of non-conventional WAS-based production processes. This review provides a critical assessment of the production process routes of a wide range of value-added products from WAS, their current limitations, and recommendations for future research to help promote more sustainable management of this under-utilised and ever-growing waste stream.

  15. Predicting Teacher Value-Added Results in Non-Tested Subjects Based on Confounding Variables: A Multinomial Logistic Regression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Street, Nathan Lee

    2017-01-01

    Teacher value-added measures (VAM) are designed to provide information regarding teachers' causal impact on the academic growth of students while controlling for exogenous variables. While some researchers contend VAMs successfully and authentically measure teacher causality on learning, others suggest VAMs cannot adequately control for exogenous…

  16. The added value of a gaming context and intelligent adaptation for a mobile application for vocabulary learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sandberg, J.; Maris, M.; Hoogendoorn, P.

    2014-01-01

    Two groups participated in a study on the added value of a gaming context and intelligent adaptation for a mobile learning application. The control group worked at home for a fortnight with the original Mobile English Learning application (MEL-original) developed in a previous project. The

  17. The added value of assessing the 'most troublesome' symptom among patients with cancer in the palliative phase.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoekstra, J.; Vernooij-Dassen, M.J.F.J.; Vos, R.; Bindels, P.J.

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: In this study among patients with cancer in the palliative phase, we analysed whether assessing the symptom, which is causing the most trouble in the patient's every day life ('most troublesome' symptom) had added value apart from the presence and severity of symptoms, which are most

  18. The added value of assessing the 'most troublesome' symptom among patients with cancer in the palliative phase

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoekstra, Johanna; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra J. F. J.; de Vos, Rien; Bindels, Patrick J. E.

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: In this study among patients with cancer in the palliative phase, we analysed whether assessing the symptom, which is causing the most trouble in the patient's every day life ('most troublesome' symptom) had added value apart from the presence and severity of symptoms, which are most

  19. Relational Resources in Value Adding Webs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gretzinger, Susanne; Royer, Susanne

    2014-01-01

    The fact that the main source of value creation is rooted within networks raises the question of the impact of social capital on relational rents. The main objectives of this paper therefore are to investigate how value creation on the relational level of a cluster can be systematised to come to ...... the high value of informal cluster structures. The paper develops implications for the cluster firms as well as the cluster management in its role as a broker and a moderator....

  20. Bioconversion of garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung into value-added products using earthworm Eisenia fetida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wani, K A; Mamta; Rao, R J

    2013-04-01

    Solid waste management is a worldwide problem and it is becoming more and more complicated day by day due to rise in population, industrialization and changes in our life style. Transformation of industrial sludges into vermicompost is of double interest: on the one hand, a waste is converted into value added product, and, on the other, it controls a pollutant that is a consequence of increasing industrialization. Garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung were subjected to recycle through vermicomposting by using the epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida under field conditions. The pH, moisture content, total organic carbon, humus, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in vermicompost was analysed. It was found that moisture content, total organic carbon, humus, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium was high in cow dung, followed by kitchen waste and garden waste. This study clearly indicates that vermicomposting of garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung can not only produce a value added produce (vermicomposting) but at the same time reduce the quantity of waste.

  1. Recent advances in engineering propionyl-CoA metabolism for microbial production of value-added chemicals and biofuels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srirangan, Kajan; Bruder, Mark; Akawi, Lamees; Miscevic, Dragan; Kilpatrick, Shane; Moo-Young, Murray; Chou, C Perry

    2017-09-01

    Diminishing fossil fuel reserves and mounting environmental concerns associated with petrochemical manufacturing practices have generated significant interests in developing whole-cell biocatalytic systems for the production of value-added chemicals and biofuels. Although acetyl-CoA is a common natural biogenic precursor for the biosynthesis of numerous metabolites, propionyl-CoA is unpopular and non-native to most organisms. Nevertheless, with its C3-acyl moiety as a discrete building block, propionyl-CoA can serve as another key biogenic precursor to several biological products of industrial importance. As a result, engineering propionyl-CoA metabolism, particularly in genetically tractable hosts with the use of inexpensive feedstocks, has paved an avenue for novel biomanufacturing. Herein, we present a systematic review on manipulation of propionyl-CoA metabolism as well as relevant genetic and metabolic engineering strategies for microbial production of value-added chemicals and biofuels, including odd-chain alcohols and organic acids, bio(co)polymers and polyketides. [Formula: see text].

  2. Valorization of a repository in an added value project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Hove, E.

    2004-01-01

    Professor of Sociology (retired), spoke of the valorization of a repository in an added value project. He pointed out that though local stakeholders may lack technical expertise, they consider their personal interests very carefully and projects affecting such interests are taken quite personally. This provides caution but also opportunity for such projects to be conducted in ways that can help, though not guarantee, better acceptance by local stakeholders. Professor Van Hove mentioned three attributes. First, while engineering projects tend to be thought of as mono-functional (e.g. dispose of waste), building flexibility into the project to reflect the interests of the local stakeholders can measurably improve Stakeholder satisfaction. What the implementer may see as a single-purpose project may indeed provide additional, desirable capabilities to a creative local population. Second, while engineering projects, particularly waste management projects are often designed and built in uninteresting, utilitarian ways, a more creative design and implementation can add a sense of enjoyment and pride on the part of the local stakeholders. And third, while engineering projects are often conducted a manner closed to their environment, a more transparent, inclusive process may draw local stakeholders more intimately into the project. All of these features can help by providing inviting borders, by valuing the beauty and aesthetic dimension of the project and by building the project so that it has an appropriate place in the memory of society. Professor Van Hove emphasised that people show great ingenuity in adapting uses and functions beyond those originally intended. The extent to which local stakeholders can help provide the vision and then the reality of such waste management projects can significantly improve their sense of ownership of the project and their ultimate acceptance. (author)

  3. Added value of one-view breast tomosynthesis combined with digital mammography according to reader experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle; Perrot, Nicolas; Dechoux, Sophie; Ribeiro, Carine; Chopier, Jocelyne; Bazelaire, Cedric de

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Breast tomosynthesis improves diagnostic performance especially for radiologists with lower experience in mammography. • Adding only one-view digital breast tomosynthesis to mammography improves the cancer detection rate. • Breast tomosynthesis is mainly useful for helping radiologists to detect architectural distortion. - Abstract: Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the added value of one-view breast tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography to characterize breast lesions. Materials and methods: Our institutional ethics committees approved the study and granted a waiver of informed consent. One hundred fifty-five women (mean age, 51.3 years, range: 24–92 years) who systematically underwent mammography and breast tomosynthesis with subsequent percutaneous biopsy were analyzed. Four radiologists (two seniors, R1 and R2, and two juniors, R3 and R4 with 30, 10, 3 and 1 years of experience in breast imaging, respectively) independently reviewed exams in two steps: mammography alone and tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography. The lesions in the cohort included 39.3% (61/155) cancers, 2.5% (4/155) high-risk lesions and 58.1% (90/155) benign lesions. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare the results of the two readings. Results: There was almost perfect agreement irrespective of reader experience for the reading of the mammography in adjunct with tomosynthesis, whereas agreement was poor between junior and senior readers for the reading of mammography alone. Area under the ROC (Az) values for the tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography were significantly better than Az values for mammography alone for all readers except the most experienced, for whom only a tendency was noted. The proportion of cancers undiagnosed by mammography alone that were well diagnosed by tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography was 6.5% (4/61), 13.1% (8/61), 27.8% (17/61) and 26.2% (16/61) for Readers 1, 2, 3 and 4

  4. Added value of one-view breast tomosynthesis combined with digital mammography according to reader experience

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle, E-mail: isabelle.thomassin@tnn.aphp.fr [Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, IUC, 75005 Paris (France); INSERM, UMR970, Equipe 2, Imagerie de l’angiogenèse, 75005 Paris (France); AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, Department of Radiology, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris (France); Perrot, Nicolas [AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, Department of Radiology, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris (France); Centre Pyramides, Paris (France); Dechoux, Sophie [Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, IUC, 75005 Paris (France); AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, Department of Radiology, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris (France); Ribeiro, Carine [Centre Pyramides, Paris (France); Chopier, Jocelyne [AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, Department of Radiology, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris (France); Bazelaire, Cedric de [APHP, Department of Radiology, Hôpital Saint Louis, 75010 Paris (France)

    2015-02-15

    Highlights: • Breast tomosynthesis improves diagnostic performance especially for radiologists with lower experience in mammography. • Adding only one-view digital breast tomosynthesis to mammography improves the cancer detection rate. • Breast tomosynthesis is mainly useful for helping radiologists to detect architectural distortion. - Abstract: Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the added value of one-view breast tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography to characterize breast lesions. Materials and methods: Our institutional ethics committees approved the study and granted a waiver of informed consent. One hundred fifty-five women (mean age, 51.3 years, range: 24–92 years) who systematically underwent mammography and breast tomosynthesis with subsequent percutaneous biopsy were analyzed. Four radiologists (two seniors, R1 and R2, and two juniors, R3 and R4 with 30, 10, 3 and 1 years of experience in breast imaging, respectively) independently reviewed exams in two steps: mammography alone and tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography. The lesions in the cohort included 39.3% (61/155) cancers, 2.5% (4/155) high-risk lesions and 58.1% (90/155) benign lesions. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare the results of the two readings. Results: There was almost perfect agreement irrespective of reader experience for the reading of the mammography in adjunct with tomosynthesis, whereas agreement was poor between junior and senior readers for the reading of mammography alone. Area under the ROC (Az) values for the tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography were significantly better than Az values for mammography alone for all readers except the most experienced, for whom only a tendency was noted. The proportion of cancers undiagnosed by mammography alone that were well diagnosed by tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography was 6.5% (4/61), 13.1% (8/61), 27.8% (17/61) and 26.2% (16/61) for Readers 1, 2, 3 and 4

  5. Lignocellulose: A sustainable material to produce value-added products with a zero waste approach-A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arevalo-Gallegos, Alejandra; Ahmad, Zanib; Asgher, Muhammad; Parra-Saldivar, Roberto; Iqbal, Hafiz M N

    2017-06-01

    A novel facility from the green technologies to integrate biomass-based carbohydrates, lignin, oils and other materials extraction and transformation into a wider spectrum of marketable and value-added products with a zero waste approach is reviewed. With ever-increasing scientific knowledge, worldwide economic and environmental consciousness, demands of legislative authorities and the manufacture, use, and removal of petrochemical-based by-products, from the last decade, there has been increasing research interests in the value or revalue of lignocellulose-based materials. The potential characteristics like natural abundance, renewability, recyclability, and ease of accessibility all around the year, around the globe, all makes residual biomass as an eco-attractive and petro-alternative candidate. In this context, many significant research efforts have been taken into account to change/replace petroleum-based economy into a bio-based economy, with an aim to develop a comprehensively sustainable, socially acceptable, and eco-friendly society. The present review work mainly focuses on various aspects of bio-refinery as a sustainable technology to process lignocellulose 'materials' into value-added products. Innovations in the bio-refinery world are providing, a portfolio of sustainable and eco-efficient products to compete in the market presently dominated by the petroleum-based products, and therefore, it is currently a subject of intensive research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Processing biogas planet digestates into value-added products -BIOVIRTA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paavola, T.; Rintala, J. (MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Jokioinen (Finland)), Email: teija.paavola@mtt.fi; Sahltroem, L.; Maunuksela, L.; Torniainen, M. (Finnish Food Safety Authority, EVIRA, Helsinki (Finland)), Email: leena.sahlstrom@evira.fi; Kaparaju, P.; Rintala, J. (Univ. of Jyvaeskylae (Finland)), Email: jukka.rintala@jyu.fi; Vikman, M.; Kapanen, A. (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo (Finland)), Email: minna.vikman@vtt.fi

    2010-10-15

    The objective of BIOVIRTA project is to develop technologies and practices with which digestates, originating from anaerobic digestion of different organic wastes and by-products, can be refined to value-added and safe products for various end-uses. It is expected that the operational preconditions for biogas plants will be significantly enhanced when the end-products are proven safe and applicable. Selection of the raw materials for anaerobic codigestion is the main operational strategy that could influence the nutrient content in the digestate. This has been clearly established in the laboratory and full-scale studies with various digestates originating from different raw materials, e.g. rendering and slaughterhouse byproducts. The nutrient content in the digestate also affects the opportunities to produce refined digestate products. In this project, the possibilities for several processing technologies, e.g. mechanical separation and stripping, have been intensively evaluated for the production of different digestate products. Their mass balances have also been estimated. The feasibility for the use of the digestate products has been assessed based on their chemical and hygienic quality and for various end-uses, including as organic fertiliser and/or soil improver in crop production. The preliminary results of these field-experiments showed that the yield of barley fertilised with digestate products was comparable to inorganic fertilisers. (orig.)

  7. 16 CFR 460.18 - Insulation ads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION TRADE REGULATION RULES LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.18 Insulation ads. (a) If your ad gives an R-value, you must give the type of insulation and... your ad gives a price, you must give the type of insulation, the R-value at a specific thickness, the...

  8. Nutritional composition of Chickpea (Cicerarietinum-L and value added products - a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harsha Hirdyani

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. is an important pulse crop grown and consumed all over the world, especially in the Afro-Asian countries. It is a good source of carbohydrates and protein, and the protein quality is considered to be better than other pulses. Chickpea has significant amounts of all the essential amino acids. Starch is the major storage carbohydrate followed by dietary fibre, lipids are present in low amounts but chickpea is rich in nutritionally important unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic and oleic acid.It can be utilized to develop nutritious value added products and hence products can also be used as nutritious food for low income group in developing countries and for patients suffering with life style diseases.

  9. The AdS3 central charge in string theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Troost, Jan

    2011-01-01

    We evaluate the vacuum expectation value of the central charge operator in string theory in an AdS 3 vacuum. Our calculation provides a rare non-zero one-point function on a spherical worldsheet. The evaluation involves the regularization both of a worldsheet ultraviolet divergence (associated to the infinite volume of the conformal Killing group), and a space-time infrared divergence (corresponding to the infinite volume of space-time). The two divergences conspire to give a finite result, which is the classical general relativity value for the central charge, corrected in bosonic string theory by an infinite series of tree level higher derivative terms.

  10. Adding value through social media : case Autokiila

    OpenAIRE

    Terinkoski, Topias

    2012-01-01

    Social media has reached wide popularity among people during its short history. It has even displaced forms of traditional media like TV in people’s daily time consumption. Social media has given voice to consumers who are very eager to share their experiences with others. This has created a whole new problem for companies. Companies don’t master customers with ad-vertisements any more but experiences of other consumers have become important aspect on purchase decision-making. Free-flowin...

  11. Vacuum currents in braneworlds on AdS bulk with compact dimensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellucci, S.; Saharian, A. A.; Vardanyan, V.

    2015-11-01

    The two-point function and the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the current density are investigated for a massive charged scalar field with arbitrary curvature coupling in the geometry of a brane on the background of AdS spacetime with partial toroidal compactification. The presence of a gauge field flux, enclosed by compact dimensions, is assumed. On the brane the field obeys Robin boundary condition and along compact dimensions periodicity conditions with general phases are imposed. There is a range in the space of the values for the coefficient in the boundary condition where the Poincaré vacuum is unstable. This range depends on the location of the brane and is different for the regions between the brane and AdS boundary and between the brane and the horizon. In models with compact dimensions the stability condition is less restrictive than that for the AdS bulk with trivial topology. The vacuum charge density and the components of the current along non-compact dimensions vanish. The VEV of the current density along compact dimensions is a periodic function of the gauge field flux with the period equal to the flux quantum. It is decomposed into the boundary-free and brane-induced contributions. The asymptotic behavior of the latter is investigated near the brane, near the AdS boundary and near the horizon. It is shown that, in contrast to the VEVs of the field squared an denergy-momentum tensor, the current density is finite on the brane and vanishes for the special case of Dirichlet boundary condition. Both the boundary-free and brane-induced contributions vanish on the AdS boundary. The brane-induced contribution vanishes on the horizon and for points near the horizon the current is dominated by the boundary-free part. In the near-horizon limit, the latter is connected to the corresponding quantity for a massless field in the Minkowski bulk by a simple conformal relation. Depending on the value of the Robin coefficient, the presence of the brane can either

  12. Opportunity for high value-added chemicals from food supply chain wastes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matharu, Avtar S; de Melo, Eduardo M; Houghton, Joseph A

    2016-09-01

    With approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted per annum, food supply chain wastes (FSCWs) may be viewed as the contemporary Periodic Table of biobased feedstock chemicals (platform molecules) and functional materials. Herein, the global drivers and case for food waste valorisation within the context of global sustainability, sustainable development goals and the bioeconomy are discussed. The emerging potential of high value added chemicals from certain tropical FSCW is considered as these are grown in three major geographical areas: Brazil, India and China, and likely to increase in volume. FSCW in the context of biorefineries is discussed and two case studies are reported, namely: waste potato, and; orange peel waste. Interestingly, both waste feedstocks, like many others, produce proteins and with the global demand for vegetable proteins on the rise then proteins from FSCW may become a dominant area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Finding a balance between "value added" and feeling valued: revising models of care. The human factor of implementing a quality improvement initiative using Lean methodology within the healthcare sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deans, Rachel; Wade, Shawna

    2011-01-01

    Growing demand from clients waiting to access vital services in a healthcare sector under economic constraint, coupled with the pressure for ongoing improvement within a multi-faceted organization, can have a significant impact on the front-line staff, who are essential to the successful implementation of any quality improvement initiative. The Lean methodology is a management system for continuous improvement based on the Toyota Production System; it focuses on two main themes: respect for people and the elimination of waste or non-value-added activities. Within the Lean process, value-added is used to describe any activity that contributes directly to satisfying the needs of the client, and non-value-added refers to any activity that takes time, space or resources but does not contribute directly to satisfying client needs. Through the revision of existing models of service delivery, the authors' organization has made an impact on increasing access to care and has supported successful engagement of staff in the process, while ensuring that the focus remains on the central needs of clients and families accessing services. While the performance metrics continue to exhibit respectable results for this strategic priority, further gains are expected over the next 18-24 months.

  14. Modern microbial solid state fermentation technology for future biorefineries for the production of added-value products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Musaalbakri Abdul Manan

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The promise of industrial biotechnology has been around since Chaim Weizmann developed acetone–butanol–ethanol fermentation at the University of Manchester in 1917 and the prospects nowadays look brighter than ever. Today’s biorefinery technologies would be almost unthinkable without biotechnology. This is a growing trend and biorefineries have also increased in importance in agriculture and the food industry. Novel biorefinery processes using solid state fermentation (SSF technology have been developed as alternative to conventional processing routes, leading to the production of added-value products from agriculture and food industry raw materials. SSF involves the growth of microorganisms on moist solid substrate in the absence of free-flowing water. Future biorefineries based on SSF aim to exploit the vast complexity of the technology to modify biomass produced by agriculture and the food industry for valuable by-products through microbial bioconversion. In this review, a summary has been made of the attempts at using modern microbial SSF technology for future biorefineries for the production of many added-value products ranging from feedstock for the fermentation process and biodegradable plastics to fuels and chemicals.

  15. Time Spent by Breast Imaging Radiologists to Perform Value-Added Activities at an Academic Cancer Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collado-Mesa, Fernando; Klevos, Geetika; Arheart, Kristopher; Banks, James; Yepes, Monica; Net, Jose

    2017-04-01

    Health care reform in the United States has generated a paradigm shift in the practice of radiology aimed at increasing the degree of patient-centered care. We conducted a study to quantify the amount of time breast imaging radiologists spend on value-added activities at an academic comprehensive cancer center located in Miami, Florida, and accredited by the American College of Radiology as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. A prospective, observational study was conducted during a period of 20 consecutive workdays. Three participating breast imaging radiologists maintained a real-time log of each activity performed. A generalized linear model was used to perform a 1-way analysis of variance. An alpha level of .05 was used to determine statistical significance. The average daily time dedicated to these activities was 92.1 minutes (range, 56.4-132.2). The amount of time significantly differed among breast imaging radiologists and correlated with their assigned daily role (P value-added activities to help improve patients' experience across the continuity of their care. We propose that similar studies be conducted at other institutions to better assess the magnitude of this finding across different breast imaging care settings.

  16. The Effect of Working Condition on Math Teacher Effectiveness: Value-Added Scores and Student Satisfaction in Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Yincheng; Singh, Kusum

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to better understand how math teachers' effectiveness as measured by value-added scores and student satisfaction with teaching is influenced by school's working conditions. The data for the study were derived from 2009 to 2010 Teacher Working Condition Survey and Student Perception Survey in Measures of Effective…

  17. Uncertain added value of Global Trigger Tool for monitoring of patient safety in cancer care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lipczak, Henriette; Neckelmann, Kirsten; Steding-Jessen, Marianne

    2011-01-01

    Monitoring patient safety is a challenging task. The lack of a golden standard has contributed to the recommendation and introduction of several methods. In 2000 the Danish Lung Cancer Registry (DLCR) was established to monitor the clinical management of lung cancer. In 2008 the Global Trigger Tool...... (GTT) was recommended in Denmark as a tool for the monitoring of patient safety. Ideally, the recommendation of a new tool should be preceded by a critical assessment of its added value....

  18. ANALISIS PENGARUH ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED (EVA DAN RASIO KEUANGAN TERHADAP RETURN SAHAM SYARIAH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lilik Sri Hariani

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available This research investigated the simultaneous impact and partial impact of financial ratios (ROA, ROE, EPS and Economic Value-Added (EVA on stock return. One of the four independent variables, that is EVA, are new concepts for measuring financial performance. Explanatory method was used in this research, and the sample was collected using purposive sampling method from Jakarta Islamic Index listed in Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI, Indonesia Stock Exchange for the period 2005 - 2007. Multiple linear regression was used for the analysis in this research.The result of the analysis shows that all independent variables, that is Return on Assets (ROA, Return on Equity (ROE, Earnings per Share (EPS and EVA have both simultaneous and partial impact on the dependent variable, that is stock return. An interesting finding is that the regression coefficients are different among the variables. ROE and EPS were found to have positive and significant impact on dependent variable while EVA and ROA were found to have negative and significant impact on dependent variable. A positive value for ROE means that the ROE variable can be taken as a measure for a company’s effectivity in utilizing equity in the effort to gain profit. While EPS was found to have the most dominant impact on stock price. The higher the EPS, the greater management’s success in gaining profit for the shareholder or investors. ROA was found to have negative and significant. A finding of this research which is contrary to previous research is that economic value added (EVA was found to have negative and significant impact on stock price. However this finding can be explained as follows: first, the average debt in the companies in the sample is greater than the value of their equity so that EVA will increase due to the reduction in WACC. The increase in EVA is accompanied by a reduction in stock return. Second, positive EVA is not accompanied by any increase of stock performance in the market; and

  19. Editorial - The Importance of Value Added

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kastberg, Peter; Grinsted, Annelise

    2007-01-01

    Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk. How, you may ask, are we to add value to something as "intangible" and "immaterial" as our language and communication work?......Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk. How, you may ask, are we to add value to something as "intangible" and "immaterial" as our language and communication work?...

  20. Added-values of high spatiotemporal remote sensing data in crop yield estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, F.; Anderson, M. C.

    2017-12-01

    Timely and accurate estimation of crop yield before harvest is critical for food market and administrative planning. Remote sensing derived parameters have been used for estimating crop yield by using either empirical or crop growth models. The uses of remote sensing vegetation index (VI) in crop yield modeling have been typically evaluated at regional and country scales using coarse spatial resolution (a few hundred to kilo-meters) data or assessed over a small region at field level using moderate resolution spatial resolution data (10-100m). Both data sources have shown great potential in capturing spatial and temporal variability in crop yield. However, the added value of data with both high spatial and temporal resolution data has not been evaluated due to the lack of such data source with routine, global coverage. In recent years, more moderate resolution data have become freely available and data fusion approaches that combine data acquired from different spatial and temporal resolutions have been developed. These make the monitoring crop condition and estimating crop yield at field scale become possible. Here we investigate the added value of the high spatial and temporal VI for describing variability of crop yield. The explanatory ability of crop yield based on high spatial and temporal resolution remote sensing data was evaluated in a rain-fed agricultural area in the U.S. Corn Belt. Results show that the fused Landsat-MODIS (high spatial and temporal) VI explains yield variability better than single data source (Landsat or MODIS alone), with EVI2 performing slightly better than NDVI. The maximum VI describes yield variability better than cumulative VI. Even though VI is effective in explaining yield variability within season, the inter-annual variability is more complex and need additional information (e.g. weather, water use and management). Our findings augment the importance of high spatiotemporal remote sensing data and supports new moderate

  1. Bioconversion of garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung into value-added products using earthworm Eisenia fetida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wani, K.A.; Mamta; Rao, R.J.

    2013-01-01

    Solid waste management is a worldwide problem and it is becoming more and more complicated day by day due to rise in population, industrialization and changes in our life style. Transformation of industrial sludges into vermicompost is of double interest: on the one hand, a waste is converted into value added product, and, on the other, it controls a pollutant that is a consequence of increasing industrialization. Garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung were subjected to recycle through vermicomposting by using the epigeic earthworm Eisenia fetida under field conditions. The pH, moisture content, total organic carbon, humus, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in vermicompost was analysed. It was found that moisture content, total organic carbon, humus, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium was high in cow dung, followed by kitchen waste and garden waste. This study clearly indicates that vermicomposting of garden waste, kitchen waste and cow dung can not only produce a value added produce (vermicomposting) but at the same time reduce the quantity of waste. PMID:23961230

  2. AIP1OGREN: Aerosol Observing Station Intensive Properties Value-Added Product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koontz, Annette [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Flynn, Connor [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2017-09-15

    The aip1ogren value-added product (VAP) computes several aerosol intensive properties. It requires as input calibrated, corrected, aerosol extensive properties (scattering and absorption coefficients, primarily) from the Aerosol Observing Station (AOS). Aerosol extensive properties depend on both the nature of the aerosol and the amount of the aerosol. We compute several properties as relationships between the various extensive properties. These intensive properties are independent of aerosol amount and instead relate to intrinsic properties of the aerosol itself. Along with the original extensive properties we report aerosol single-scattering albedo, hemispheric backscatter fraction, asymmetry parameter, and Ångström exponent for scattering and absorption with one-minute averaging. An hourly averaged file is produced from the 1-minute files that includes all extensive and intensive properties as well as submicron scattering and submicron absorption fractions. Finally, in both the minutely and hourly files the aerosol radiative forcing efficiency is provided.

  3. High value added lipids produced by microorganisms: a potential use of sugarcane vinasse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, Bruna Soares; Vieira, João Paulo Fernandes; Contesini, Fabiano Jares; Mantelatto, Paulo Eduardo; Zaiat, Marcelo; Pradella, José Geraldo da Cruz

    2017-12-01

    This review aims to present an innovative concept of high value added lipids produced by heterotrophic microorganisms, bacteria and fungi, using carbon sources, such as sugars, acids and alcohols that could come from sugarcane vinasse, which is the main byproduct from ethanol production that is released in the distillation step. Vinasse is a rich carbon source and low-cost feedstock produced in large amounts from ethanol production. In 2019, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply estimates that growth of ethanol domestic consumption will be 58.8 billion liters, more than double the amount in 2008. This represents the annual production of more than 588 billion liters of vinasse, which is currently used as a fertilizer in the sugarcane crop, due to its high concentration of minerals, mainly potassium. However, studies indicate some disadvantages such as the generation of Greenhouse Gas emission during vinasse distribution in the crop, as well as the possibility of contaminating the groundwater and soil. Therefore, the development of programs for sustainable use of vinasse is a priority. One profitable alternative is the fermentation of vinasse, followed by an anaerobic digester, in order to obtain biomaterials such as lipids, other byproducts, and methane. Promising high value added lipids, for instance carotenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS), with a predicted market of millions of US$, could be produced using vinasse as carbon source, to guide an innovative concept for sustainable production. Example of lipids obtained from the fermentation of compounds present in vinasse are vitamin D, which comes from yeast sucrose fermentation and Omega 3, which can be obtained by bacteria and fungi fermentation. Additionally, several other compounds present in vinasse can be used for this purpose, including sucrose, ethanol, lactate, pyruvate, acetate and other carbon sources. Finally, this paper illustrates the potential market and

  4. Loops in AdS from conformal field theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aharony, Ofer; Alday, Luis F.; Bissi, Agnese; Perlmutter, Eric

    2017-07-01

    We propose and demonstrate a new use for conformal field theory (CFT) crossing equations in the context of AdS/CFT: the computation of loop amplitudes in AdS, dual to non-planar correlators in holographic CFTs. Loops in AdS are largely unexplored, mostly due to technical difficulties in direct calculations. We revisit this problem, and the dual 1 /N expansion of CFTs, in two independent ways. The first is to show how to explicitly solve the crossing equations to the first subleading order in 1 /N 2, given a leading order solution. This is done as a systematic expansion in inverse powers of the spin, to all orders. These expansions can be resummed, leading to the CFT data for finite values of the spin. Our second approach involves Mellin space. We show how the polar part of the four-point, loop-level Mellin amplitudes can be fully reconstructed from the leading-order data. The anomalous dimensions computed with both methods agree. In the case of ϕ 4 theory in AdS, our crossing solution reproduces a previous computation of the one-loop bubble diagram. We can go further, deriving the four-point scalar triangle diagram in AdS, which had never been computed. In the process, we show how to analytically derive anomalous dimensions from Mellin amplitudes with an infinite series of poles, and discuss applications to more complicated cases such as the N = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory.

  5. British and German manufacturing productivity compared : A new benchmark for 1935/36 based on double deflated value added

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fremdling, Rainer; de Jong, Herman; Timmer, Marcel P.

    We present a new estimate of Anglo-German manufacturing productivity levels for 1935/36. It is based on archival data on German manufacturing and published British census data. We calculate comparative levels of value added, correcting for differences in prices for outputs and inputs. This so-called

  6. Assessing the Value-Added by the Environmental Testing Process with the Aide of Physics/Engineering of Failure Evaluations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornford, S.; Gibbel, M.

    1997-01-01

    NASA's Code QT Test Effectiveness Program is funding a series of applied research activities focused on utilizing the principles of physics and engineering of failure and those of engineering economics to assess and improve the value-added by the various validation and verification activities to organizations.

  7. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED AND CASH CONVERSION CYCLE IN COMPANIES LISTED ON THE WSE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monika Bolek

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Economic Value Added (EVA a profitability measure and a Cash Conversion Cycle a liquidity and profitability measure are presented in this article. These ratios represent the dynamic approach to management of companies. The relationship between them may be considered as an advanced approach to management in a current economy based on intangible assets and know- how and capital allocated fast and efficient according to information common access.

  8. The added value of the replica simulators in the exploitation of nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diaz Giron, P. a.; Ortega, F.; Rivero, N.

    2011-01-01

    Nuclear power plants full scope replica simulators were in the past solely designed following operational personnel training criteria. Nevertheless, these simulators not only feature a high replica control room but also provide an accurate process response. Control room replica simulators are presently based on complex technological platforms permitting highest physical and functional fidelity, allowing to be used as versatile and value added tools in diverse plants operation and maintenance activities. In recent years. Tecnatom has extended the use of such simulators to different engineering applications. this article intends to identify the simulators use in training and other applications beyond training. (Author)

  9. MODEL PENENTUAN HARGA SAHAM: PENGUJIAN CAPITAL ASSET PRICING MODEL MELALUI PENGUJIAN ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suripto Suripto

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This research tested the influence of characteristics of the firms and of EVA (Eco-nomic Value Added to stock of returns. This Research sample was company Self-100 ValueCreator of year 2001 until 2006. Result of research indicated that company size measure,profitability, capital structure (characteristics of the firms and EVA by stimulant had aneffect on significant to stock of returns, but by partial only characteristics company. Condi-tion of company fundamentals had an effect on significance to stock of returns. This indica-tion that investor still considered factors of fundamentals was having investment. EVA didnot have an effect on significant to stock of returns. This finding indicated that Model deter-mination of stock of returns (CAPM Irrelevant determined the level of EVA and also indicatedthat CAPM (Capital Assets Pricing Model was not relevant in determining stock of returns inIndonesian Stock Exchange.

  10. Value-added probiotic development by high-solid fermentation of sweet potato with Saccharomyces boulardii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Carmen; Nanjundaswamy, Ananda K; Njiti, Victor; Xia, Qun; Chukwuma, Franklin

    2017-05-01

    Controlled fermentation of Sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas ) var. Beauregard by yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii (MAY 796) to enhance the nutritional value of sweet potato was investigated. An average 8.00 × 10 10 Colony Forming Units (CFU)/g of viable cells were obtained over 5-day high-solid fermentation. Yeast cell viability did not change significantly over time at 4°C whereas the number of viable yeast cells reduced significantly at room temperature (25°C), which was approximately 40% in 12 months. Overall, the controlled fermentation of sweet potato by MAY 796 enhanced protein, crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, amino acid, and fatty acid levels. Development of value-added sweet potato has a great potential in animal feed and human nutrition. S. boulardii - fermented sweet potato has great potential as probiotic-enriched animal feed and/or functional food for human nutrition.

  11. Adding Value: Online Student Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everett, Donna R.

    2015-01-01

    This paper seeks to add to the emerging literature related to online student engagement with additional suggestions for instructional strategies. Student engagement is one of the tenets of effective online instruction; as such, particular attention to how it adds value to student learning is crucial and worth the time and effort to enhance…

  12. Dating currency crises with ad hoc and extreme value-based thresholds : East Asia 1970-2002 [dating currency crises

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lestano, L; Jacobs, Jan P. A. M.

    2007-01-01

    Generally a currency crisis is defined to occur if an index of currency pressure exceeds a threshold. This paper compares currency crisis dating methods. For two definitions of currency pressure we contrast ad hoc and extreme value-based thresholds. We illustrate the methods with data of six East

  13. Examining the Relationship between Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and Student Achievement Utilizing the Florida Value-Added Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farrell, Ivan K.; Hamed, Kastro M.

    2017-01-01

    Utilizing a correlational research design, we sought to examine the relationship between the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of in-service teachers and student achievement measured with each individual teacher's Value-Added Model (VAM) score. The TPACK survey results and a teacher's VAM score were also examined, separately,…

  14. An AdS3 dual for minimal model CFTs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaberdiel, Matthias R.; Gopakumar, Rajesh

    2011-01-01

    We propose a duality between the 2d W N minimal models in the large N't Hooft limit, and a family of higher spin theories on AdS 3 . The 2d conformal field theories (CFTs) can be described as Wess-Zumino-Witten coset models, and include, for N=2, the usual Virasoro unitary series. The dual bulk theory contains, in addition to the massless higher spin fields, two complex scalars (of equal mass). The mass is directly related to the 't Hooft coupling constant of the dual CFT. We give convincing evidence that the spectra of the two theories match precisely for all values of the 't Hooft coupling. We also show that the renormalization group flows in the 2d CFT agree exactly with the usual AdS/CFT prediction of the gravity theory. Our proposal is in many ways analogous to the Klebanov-Polyakov conjecture for an AdS 4 dual for the singlet sector of large N vector models.

  15. Added value of one-view breast tomosynthesis combined with digital mammography according to reader experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomassin-Naggara, Isabelle; Perrot, Nicolas; Dechoux, Sophie; Ribeiro, Carine; Chopier, Jocelyne; de Bazelaire, Cedric

    2015-02-01

    To retrospectively evaluate the added value of one-view breast tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography to characterize breast lesions. Our institutional ethics committees approved the study and granted a waiver of informed consent. One hundred fifty-five women (mean age, 51.3 years, range: 24-92 years) who systematically underwent mammography and breast tomosynthesis with subsequent percutaneous biopsy were analyzed. Four radiologists (two seniors, R1 and R2, and two juniors, R3 and R4 with 30, 10, 3 and 1 years of experience in breast imaging, respectively) independently reviewed exams in two steps: mammography alone and tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography. The lesions in the cohort included 39.3% (61/155) cancers, 2.5% (4/155) high-risk lesions and 58.1% (90/155) benign lesions. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare the results of the two readings. There was almost perfect agreement irrespective of reader experience for the reading of the mammography in adjunct with tomosynthesis, whereas agreement was poor between junior and senior readers for the reading of mammography alone. Area under the ROC (Az) values for the tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography were significantly better than Az values for mammography alone for all readers except the most experienced, for whom only a tendency was noted. The proportion of cancers undiagnosed by mammography alone that were well diagnosed by tomosynthesis in adjunct with mammography was 6.5% (4/61), 13.1% (8/61), 27.8% (17/61) and 26.2% (16/61) for Readers 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The proportion of false positive cases induced by the addition of breast tomosynthesis to mammography was 2.1% (2/94), 2.1% (2/94), 9.5% (9/94) and 12.7% (12/94) for Readers 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Adding breast tomosynthesis to mammography improved sensitivity and negative predictive value for all readers except for the most experienced one, in whom only a tendency for improvement

  16. Fostering a Durable Relationship between a Radioactive Waste Management Facility and its Host Community. Adding Value through Design and Process. 2015 Edition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    In the field of long-term radioactive waste management, repository projects last from decades to centuries. Such projects will inevitably have an effect on the host community from the planning stage to the end of construction and beyond. The key to a long-lasting and positive relationship between a facility and its host community is ensuring that solutions are reached together throughout the entire process. The sustainability of radioactive waste management solutions can potentially be achieved through design and implementation of a facility that provides added cultural and amenity value, as well as economic opportunities, to the local community. This edition of Fostering a Durable Relationship between a Waste Management Facility and its Host Community: Adding Value through Design and Process highlights new innovations in siting processes and in facility design - functional, cultural and physical - from different countries, which could be of added value to host communities and their sites in the short to long term. These new features are examined from the perspective of sustainability, with a focus on increasing the likelihood that people will both understand the facility and its functions, and remember over very long timescales what is located at the site. This 2015 update by the NEA Forum on Stakeholder Confidence will be beneficial in designing paths forward for local or regional communities, as well as for national radioactive waste management programmes. Section 2 of this report summarises the value of developing a sustainable relationship between a community and a radioactive waste management facility through added cultural and amenity value. In Section 3, the report identifies design considerations - functional, cultural and physical - that may help facilities to fit into the community in a sustainable manner. Each design feature is illustrated with examples. Section 4 discusses the benefits that may be gained from the very process of planning radioactive

  17. AERA Statement on Use of Value-Added Models (VAM) for the Evaluation of Educators and Educator Preparation Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Educational Researcher, 2015

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this statement is to inform those using or considering the use of value-added models (VAM) about their scientific and technical limitations in the evaluation of educators and programs that prepare teachers. The statement briefly reviews the background and current context of using VAM for evaluations, enumerates specific psychometric…

  18. The Test Matters: The Relationship between Classroom Observation Scores and Teacher Value Added on Multiple Types of Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossman, Pam; Cohen, Julie; Ronfeldt, Matthew; Brown, Lindsay

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we examined how the relationships between one observation protocol, the Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observation (PLATO), and value-added measures shift when different tests are used to assess student achievement. Using data from the Measures of Effective Teaching Project, we found that PLATO was more strongly related to the…

  19. Tomosynthesis of the thoracic spine: added value in diagnosing vertebral fractures in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geijer, Mats; Gunnlaugsson, Eirikur; Götestrand, Simon; Weber, Lars; Geijer, Håkan

    2017-02-01

    Thoracic spine radiography becomes more difficult with age. Tomosynthesis is a low-dose tomographic extension of radiography which may facilitate thoracic spine evaluation. This study assessed the added value of tomosynthesis in imaging of the thoracic spine in the elderly. Four observers compared the image quality of 50 consecutive thoracic spine radiography and tomosynthesis data sets from 48 patients (median age 67 years, range 55-92 years) on a number of image quality criteria. Observer variation was determined by free-marginal multirater kappa. The conversion factor and effective dose were determined from the dose-area product values. For all observers significantly more vertebrae were seen with tomosynthesis than with radiography (mean 12.4/9.3, P tomosynthesis was significantly higher than for radiography, for all evaluated structures. Tomosynthesis took longer to evaluate than radiography. Despite this, all observers scored a clear preference for tomosynthesis. Observer agreement was substantial (mean κ = 0.73, range 0.51-0.94). The calibration or conversion factor was 0.11 mSv/(Gy cm 2 ) for the combined examination. The resulting effective dose was 0.87 mSv. Tomosynthesis can increase the detection rate of thoracic vertebral fractures in the elderly, at low added radiation dose. • Tomosynthesis helps evaluate the thoracic spine in the elderly. • Observer agreement for thoracic spine tomosynthesis was substantial (mean κ = 0.73). • Significantly more vertebrae and significantly more fractures were seen with tomosynthesis. • Tomosynthesis took longer to evaluate than radiography. • There was a clear preference among all observers for tomosynthesis over radiography.

  20. Remedial processing of oil shale fly ash (OSFA) and its value-added conversion into glass-ceramics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhikun; Zhang, Lei; Li, Aimin

    2015-12-01

    Recently, various solid wastes such as sewage sludge, coal fly ash and slag have been recycled into various products such as sintered bricks, ceramics and cement concrete. Application of these recycling approaches is much better and greener than conventional landfills since it can solve the problems of storage of industrial wastes and reduce exploration of natural resources for construction materials to protect the environment. Therefore, in this study, an attempt was made to recycle oil shale fly ash (OSFA), a by-product obtained from the extracting of shale oil in the oil shale industry, into a value-added glass-ceramic material via melting and sintering method. The influence of basicity (CaO/SiO2 ratio) by adding calcium oxide on the performance of glass-ceramics was studied in terms of phase transformation, mechanical properties, chemical resistances and heavy metals leaching tests. Crystallization kinetics results showed that the increase of basicity reduced the activation energies of crystallization but did not change the crystallization mechanism. When increasing the basicity from 0.2 to 0.5, the densification of sintering body was enhanced due to the promotion of viscous flow of glass powders, and therefore the compression strength and bending strength of glass-ceramics were increased. Heavy metals leaching results indicated that the produced OSFA-based glass-ceramics could be taken as non-hazardous materials. The maximum mechanical properties of compression strength of 186 ± 3 MPa, bending strength of 78 ± 6 MPa, good chemical resistances and low heavy metals leaching concentrations showed that it could be used as a substitute material for construction applications. The proposed approach will be one of the potential sustainable solutions in reducing the storage of oil shale fly ash as well as converting it into a value-added product. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The added value of hepatitis E diagnostics in determining causes of hepatitis in routine diagnostic settings in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Doting, M. H. E.; Weel, J.; Niesters, H. G. M.; Riezebos-Brilman, A.; Brandenburg, A.

    OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 is endemic in Europe and an underdiagnosed and emerging (public) health issue. In recent years commercial enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) that detect antibodies to HEV more adequately, became available. We investigated the added value of this HEV serology in

  2. The 3D Printing of the Paralyzed Vocal Fold: Added Value in Injection Laryngoplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamdan, Abdul-Latif; Haddad, Ghassan; Haydar, Ali; Hamade, Ramsey

    2017-08-18

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing has had numerous applications in various disciplines, especially otolaryngology. We report the first case of a high-fidelity 3D-printed model of the vocal cords of a patient with unilateral vocal cord paralysis in need of injection laryngoplasty. A case report was carried out. A tailored 3D-printed anatomically precise models for injection laryngoplasty has the potential to enhance preoperative planning, resident teaching, and patient education. A 3D printing model of the paralyzed vocal cord has an added value in the preoperative assessment of patients undergoing injection laryngoplasty. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The "Power" of Value-Added Thinking: Exploring the Implementation of High-Stakes Teacher Accountability Policies in Rio de Janeiro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straubhaar, Rolf

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to ethnographically document the market-based ideological assumptions of Rio de Janeiro's educational policymakers, and the ways in which those assumptions have informed these policymakers' decision to implement value-added modeling-based teacher evaluation policies. Drawing on the anthropological literature on…

  4. Total recovery of the waste of two-phase olive oil processing: isolation of added-value compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Bolaños, Juan; Rodríguez, Guillermo; Gómez, Esther; Guillén, Rafael; Jiménez, Ana; Heredia, Antonia; Rodríguez, Rocío

    2004-09-22

    A process for the value addition of solid waste from two-phase olive oil extraction or "alperujo" that includes a hydrothermal treatment has been suggested. In this treatment an autohydrolysis process occurs and the solid olive byproduct is partially solubilized. From this water-soluble fraction can be obtained besides the antioxidant hydroxytyrosol several other compounds of high added value. In this paper three different samples of alperujo were characterized and subjected to a hydrothermal treatment with and without acid catalyst. The main soluble compounds after the hydrolysis were represented by monosaccharides xylose, arabinose, and glucose; oligosaccharides, mannitol and products of sugar destruction. Oligosaccharides were separated by size exclusion chromatography. It was possible to get highly purified mannitol by applying a simple purification method.

  5. Toward an Understanding of Motivational Influences on Prospective Memory Using Value-Added Intentions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel I Cook

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This study examined value-added intentions by manipulating the cognitive frame associated with monetary contingencies for detecting prospective memory cues. We associated a loss-frame with a monetary punishment for failing to respond to cues and a gain-frame with a monetary reward for remembering to respond to cues and compared those frames to a no-frame control condition with no contingency linked to performance. Across two experiments, we find increased prospective memory performance for participants in the loss-frame (Experiments 1 and 2 and in the gain-frame (Experiment 2 conditions relative to the no-frame condition. This value-related improvement in prospective memory was not accompanied by a significant increase in cue monitoring as measured by intention induced interference to an ongoing task and recognition memory for ongoing task items. The few previous studies investigating motivational prospective memory showed mixed results regarding whether prospective memory improves due to incentives or not. Our results provide further evidence that, under some experimental conditions, prospective memory improves with rewards and that the benefit generalizes to penalizing performance. The results have both practical implications and theoretical implications for motivation models of prospective memory.

  6. Interpolating from Bianchi attractors to Lifshitz and AdS spacetimes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kachru, Shamit; Kundu, Nilay; Saha, Arpan; Samanta, Rickmoy; Trivedi, Sandip P.

    2014-01-01

    We construct classes of smooth metrics which interpolate from Bianchi attractor geometries of Types II, III, VI and IX in the IR to Lifshitz or AdS 2 ×S 3 geometries in the UV. While we do not obtain these metrics as solutions of Einstein gravity coupled to a simple matter field theory, we show that the matter sector stress-energy required to support these geometries (via the Einstein equations) does satisfy the weak, and therefore also the null, energy condition. Since Lifshitz or AdS 2 ×S 3 geometries can in turn be connected to AdS 5 spacetime, our results show that there is no barrier, at least at the level of the energy conditions, for solutions to arise connecting these Bianchi attractor geometries to AdS 5 spacetime. The asymptotic AdS 5 spacetime has no non-normalizable metric deformation turned on, which suggests that furthermore, the Bianchi attractor geometries can be the IR geometries dual to field theories living in flat space, with the breaking of symmetries being either spontaneous or due to sources for other fields. Finally, we show that for a large class of flows which connect two Bianchi attractors, a C-function can be defined which is monotonically decreasing from the UV to the IR as long as the null energy condition is satisfied. However, except for special examples of Bianchi attractors (including AdS space), this function does not attain a finite and non-vanishing constant value at the end points

  7. Potential for added value in precipitation simulated by high-resolution nested Regional Climate Models and observations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Di Luca, Alejandro; Laprise, Rene [Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM), Centre ESCER (Etude et Simulation du Climat a l' Echelle Regionale), Departement des Sciences de la Terre et de l' Atmosphere, PK-6530, Succ. Centre-ville, B.P. 8888, Montreal, QC (Canada); De Elia, Ramon [Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Ouranos Consortium, Centre ESCER (Etude et Simulation du Climat a l' Echelle Regionale), Montreal (Canada)

    2012-03-15

    Regional Climate Models (RCMs) constitute the most often used method to perform affordable high-resolution regional climate simulations. The key issue in the evaluation of nested regional models is to determine whether RCM simulations improve the representation of climatic statistics compared to the driving data, that is, whether RCMs add value. In this study we examine a necessary condition that some climate statistics derived from the precipitation field must satisfy in order that the RCM technique can generate some added value: we focus on whether the climate statistics of interest contain some fine spatial-scale variability that would be absent on a coarser grid. The presence and magnitude of fine-scale precipitation variance required to adequately describe a given climate statistics will then be used to quantify the potential added value (PAV) of RCMs. Our results show that the PAV of RCMs is much higher for short temporal scales (e.g., 3-hourly data) than for long temporal scales (16-day average data) due to the filtering resulting from the time-averaging process. PAV is higher in warm season compared to cold season due to the higher proportion of precipitation falling from small-scale weather systems in the warm season. In regions of complex topography, the orographic forcing induces an extra component of PAV, no matter the season or the temporal scale considered. The PAV is also estimated using high-resolution datasets based on observations allowing the evaluation of the sensitivity of changing resolution in the real climate system. The results show that RCMs tend to reproduce relatively well the PAV compared to observations although showing an overestimation of the PAV in warm season and mountainous regions. (orig.)

  8. Entanglement entropy and duality in AdS4

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioannis Bakas

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Small variations of the entanglement entropy δS and the expectation value of the modular Hamiltonian δE are computed holographically for circular entangling curves in the boundary of AdS4, using gravitational perturbations with general boundary conditions in spherical coordinates. Agreement with the first law of thermodynamics, δS=δE, requires that the line element of the entangling curve remains constant. In this context, we also find a manifestation of electric–magnetic duality for the entanglement entropy and the corresponding modular Hamiltonian, following from the holographic energy–momentum/Cotton tensor duality.

  9. Material property characterization of co-products from biofuel industries: Potential uses in value-added biocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diebel, William; Reddy, Murali M.; Misra, Manju; Mohanty, Amar

    2012-01-01

    This paper gives an insight of biofuel production and the status -into the co-products obtained from this industry. Furthermore this work explores the possibility of these co-products as raw materials for value-added uses in material applications. This is achieved by understanding composition, solid density, and moisture content of prominent co-products such as soy meal, DDGS (distillers’ dried grains with solubles) and jatropha meal. Moisture content and density measurements showed no trend. Soy meal has the highest protein content, followed by jatropha and DDGS. Thermal stability of these co-products was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which revealed that the thermal stabilities are ranked as soy meal>DDGS>jatropha meal. FT-IR spectroscopy was used to understand the functional groups in these meals and it showed that the amide group was prominent in all of these meals. In pursuit of finding value-added uses for these co-products of biofuel industries, biodegradable polymer, i.e. polycaprolactone (PCL), based biocomposites were prepared by melt processing technique using extrusion followed by injection molding. Tensile, flexural and impact properties were evaluated. Also, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of fractured sections of the biocomposites was examined. -- Highlights: ► This paper gives an insight of biofuel production and its co-products. ► We have characterized biofuel co-products such as soy meal, DDGS and jatropha meal. ► Thermal stability and functional groups of these co-products were determined. ► Polycaprolactone based biocomposites were prepared by melt processing technique. ► Tensile, flexural and impact properties of these biocomposites were evaluated.

  10. Biomass valorisation by staged degasification A new pyrolysis-based thermochemical conversion option to produce value-added chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Wild, P. J.; den Uil, H.; Reith, J. H.; Kiel, J. H. A.; Heeres, H. J.

    Pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass leads to an array Of useful solid, liquid and gaseous products. Staged degasification is a pyrolysis-based conversion route to generate value-added chemicals from biomass. Because of different thermal stabilities of the main biomass constituents hemicellulose.

  11. Closed string tachyons on AdS orbifolds and dual Yang-Mills instantons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hikida, Y. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Iizuka, N. [California Univ., Santa Barbara, CA (United States). Kavli Inst. for Theoretical Physics

    2007-06-15

    We study the condensation of localized closed string tachyons on AdS orbifolds both from the bulk and boundary theory viewpoints. We first extend the known results for AdS{sub 5}/Z{sub k} to AdS{sub 3}/Z{sub k} case, and we proposed that the AdS{sub 3}/Z{sub k} decays into AdS{sub 3}/Z{sub k'} with k{sup '} < k. From the bulk viewpoint, we obtain a time-dependent gravity solution describing the decay of AdS orbifold numerically. From the dual gauge theory viewpoint, we calculated the Casimir energies of gauge theory vacua and it is found that their values are exactly the same as the masses of dual geometries, even though they are in different parameter regimes of 't Hooft coupling. We also consider AdS{sub 5} orbifold. The decay of AdS{sub 5}/Z{sub k} is dual to the transition between the vacua of dual gauge theory on R{sub t} x S{sup 3}/Z{sub k}. We constructed the instanton solutions describing the transitions by making use of instanton solutions on R{sub t} x S{sup 2}. (orig.)

  12. Value Added Tax and price stability in Nigeria: A partial equilibrium analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marius Ikpe

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The economic impact of Value Added Tax (VAT that was implemented in Nigeria in 1994 has generated much debate in recent times, especially with respect to its effect on the level of aggregate prices. This study empirically examines the influence of VAT on price stability in Nigeria using partial equilibrium analysis. We introduced the VAT variable in the framework of a combination of structuralist, monetarist and fiscalist approaches to inflation modelling. The analysis was carried out by applying multiple regression analysis in static form to data for the 1994-2010 period. The results reveal that VAT exerts a strong upward pressure on price levels, most likely due to the burden of VAT on intermediate outputs. The study rules out the option of VAT exemptions for intermediate outputs as a solution, due to the difficulty in distinguishing between intermediate and final outputs. Instead, it recommends a detailed post-VAT cost-benefit analysis to assess the social desirability of VAT policy in Nigeria.

  13. Microbial chemical factories: recent advances in pathway engineering for synthesis of value added chemicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhamankar, Himanshu; Prather, Kristala L J

    2011-08-01

    The dwindling nature of petroleum and other fossil reserves has provided impetus towards microbial synthesis of fuels and value added chemicals from biomass-derived sugars as a renewable resource. Microbes have naturally evolved enzymes and pathways that can convert biomass into hundreds of unique chemical structures, a property that can be effectively exploited for their engineering into Microbial Chemical Factories (MCFs). De novo pathway engineering facilitates expansion of the repertoire of microbially synthesized compounds beyond natural products. In this review, we visit some recent successes in such novel pathway engineering and optimization, with particular emphasis on the selection and engineering of pathway enzymes and balancing of their accessory cofactors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Value-added conversion of waste cooking oil and post-consumer PET bottles into biodiesel and polyurethane foams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dang, Yu; Luo, Xiaolan; Wang, Feng; Li, Yebo

    2016-06-01

    A sustainable process of value-added utilization of wastes including waste cooking oil (WCO) and post-consumer PET bottles for the production of biodiesel and polyurethane (PU) foams was developed. WCO collected from campus cafeteria was firstly converted into biodiesel, which can be used as vehicle fuel. Then crude glycerol (CG), a byproduct of the above biodiesel process, was incorporated into the glycolysis process of post-consumer PET bottles collected from campus to produce polyols. Thirdly, PU foams were synthesized through the reaction of the above produced polyols with isocyanate in the presence of catalysts and other additives. The characterization of the produced biodiesel demonstrated that its properties meet the specification of biodiesel standard. The effect of crude glycerol loading on the properties of polyols and PU foams were investigated. All the polyols showed satisfactory properties for the production of rigid PU foams which had performance comparable to those of some petroleum-based analogs. A mass balance and a cost analysis for the conversion of WCO and waste PET into biodiesel and PU foams were also discussed. This study demonstrated the potential of WCO and PET waste for the production of value-added products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Assessment of the added value of the Twente Photoacoustic Mammoscope in breast cancer diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hilgerink MP

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Marjolein P Hilgerink1, Marjan JM Hummel2, Srirang Manohar3, Simon R Vaartjes1, Maarten J IJzerman21Department of Medical Physics, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; 2Health Technology and Services Research, 3Biomedical Photonic Imaging, MIRA Institute, University of Twente, Enschede, The NetherlandsPurpose: Photoacoustic (PA imaging is a recently developed breast cancer imaging technique. In order to enhance successful clinical implementation, we quantified the potential clinical value of different scenarios incorporating PA imaging by means of multi-criteria analysis. From this analysis, the most promising area of application for PA imaging in breast cancer diagnosis is determined, and recommendations are provided to optimize the design of PA imaging.Methods: The added value of PA imaging was assessed in two areas of application in the diagnostic track. These areas include PA imaging as an alternative to x-ray mammography and ultrasonography in early stage diagnosis, and PA imaging as an alternative to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI in later stage diagnosis. The added value of PA imaging was assessed with respect to four main criteria (costs, diagnostic performance, patient comfort and risks. An expert panel composed of medical, technical and management experts was asked to assess the relative importance of the criteria in comparing the alternative diagnostic devices. The judgments of the experts were quantified based on the validated pairwise comparison technique of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, a technique for multi-criteria analysis. Sensitivity analysis was applied to account for the uncertainty of the outcomes.Results: Among the considered alternatives, PA imaging is the preferred technique due to its non-invasiveness, low cost and low risks. However, the experts do not expect large differences in diagnostic performance. The outcomes suggest that design changes to improve the diagnostic performance of PA imaging should

  16. An Added Value of Neuroscientific Tools to Understand Consumers’ In-Store Behaviour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bagdziunaite, Dalia; Nassri, Khalid; Clement, Jesper

    2014-01-01

    Little is still understood about the actual in-store purchase process. Here, we report that prior ad exposure affects in-store decision-making. By using mobile eye-tracking and electroencephalography (EEG), we demonstrate that, unbeknownst to participants, the ad effect was driven by increased...... visual exploration of the product shelves for the brand that was presented during ad exposure, and a stronger motivation score, as assess by the brain’s prefrontal asymmetry. These findings are discussed in the light of the academic and commercial need to integrate neuroscientific tools in the study...

  17. Investigating the interdependence between non-hydroelectric renewable energy, agricultural value added, and arable land use in Argentina

    OpenAIRE

    Ben Jebli, Mehdi; Ben Youssef, Slim

    2017-01-01

    We examine the dynamic relationships between per capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, real gross domestic product (GDP), non-hydroelectric renewable energy (NHRE) consumption, agricultural value added (AVA), and agricultural land (AGRL) use for the case of Argentina over the period 1980-2013 by employing the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds approach to cointegration and Granger causality tests. The Wald test confirms the existence of a long-run cointegration between variables. T...

  18. Marketing communications in industrial B2b markets enhancing the value of the corporate brand relying on common added values

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Ignacio Monrabal

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Today, industrial Business-to-Business (B2B markets are mainly characterized by a highly trained customer for making rational decisions in a highly competitive and global market, requiring more than ever organizations to approach their markets with a single and consistent message. Such demanding scenario requires to define a corporate brand transmitting in one message all the advantages that a Customer may appreciate in the long-term, based not only on what the company stands for in the market, but also the benefits of all its products throughout its portfolio. Such elements are referred as Common Added Values (CAVs, being some general examples the technology, quality, innovation and reliability; the capacity, infrastructure and distribution network; after-sales service policies, support and training; or the price and financial policies. This paper tries to explain the source of this need, describing the main differences between a brand communications model focused on the product or including the main B2B corporate values; and highlighting the main CAVs, to get an industry player either small or large, can succeed in generating brand equity through an integrated marketing communications strategy.

  19. Value-added materials from the hydrometallurgical processing of jarosite waste

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilson Benjamin P.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Jarosite is a leach residue that can be produced by industrial bulk metal treatment processes and typically has the chemical formula MxFe3(SO42(OH6, where M normally represents a metal cation. The largest source of jarosite is electrolytic zinc processing [1], which worldwide has an annual production of 11-12 Mt and an associated jarosite waste of 5-6 Mt that can cause important challenges due to its classification as a problem waste. Moreover, as zinc ore typically contains many other commercial/critical metals, the content of valuable materials in this material is significant. An analysis of jarosite from Kokkola, Finland shows that it contained as much metal as many present day commercial ores: ~15% iron, 2% zinc, 3 % lead, 150 g/t silver, 0.5 g/t gold, 100 g/t indium and 40 g/t gallium. Until now, jarosite related research has concentrated on its use in landfill and construction purposes [2], though there is increasing interest in finding methods to efficiently reprocess/recycle jarosite into valuable products [3, 4]. The hydrometallurgical process currently under development by VTT and Aalto University exploits jarosite powdery nature to undertake wet chemical processing. This low cost and energy efficient operation is targeted at the recovery of concentrates which contain the major value-added metals.

  20. The added value of thorough economic evaluation of telemedicine networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Goff-Pronost, Myriam; Sicotte, Claude

    2010-02-01

    This paper proposes a thorough framework for the economic evaluation of telemedicine networks. A standard cost analysis methodology was used as the initial base, similar to the evaluation method currently being applied to telemedicine, and to which we suggest adding subsequent stages that enhance the scope and sophistication of the analytical methodology. We completed the methodology with a longitudinal and stakeholder analysis, followed by the calculation of a break-even threshold, a calculation of the economic outcome based on net present value (NPV), an estimate of the social gain through external effects, and an assessment of the probability of social benefits. In order to illustrate the advantages, constraints and limitations of the proposed framework, we tested it in a paediatric cardiology tele-expertise network. The results demonstrate that the project threshold was not reached after the 4 years of the study. Also, the calculation of the project's NPV remained negative. However, the additional analytical steps of the proposed framework allowed us to highlight alternatives that can make this service economically viable. These included: use over an extended period of time, extending the network to other telemedicine specialties, or including it in the services offered by other community hospitals. In sum, the results presented here demonstrate the usefulness of an economic evaluation framework as a way of offering decision makers the tools they need to make comprehensive evaluations of telemedicine networks.

  1. Energy- and value added services in the electric power market in Sweden; Energi- och mervaerdestjaenster paa elmarknaden i Sverige

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsson, Peter

    2000-03-01

    This report tries to give a comprehensive picture of the offerings of energy- and value added services on the deregulated Swedish electric power market. A compilation of the service offerings from some 50 electric utilities is given. Market movements within deregulated sectors are treated with special emphasis on the electric power business.

  2. Configurational entropy of charged AdS black holes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chong Oh Lee

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available When we consider charged AdS black holes in higher dimensional spacetime and a molecule number density along coexistence curves is numerically extended to higher dimensional cases. It is found that a number density difference of a small and large black holes decrease as a total dimension grows up. In particular, we find that a configurational entropy is a concave function of a reduced temperature and reaches a maximum value at a critical (second-order phase transition point. Furthermore, the bigger a total dimension becomes, the more concave function in a configurational entropy while the more convex function in a reduced pressure.

  3. Motion of particles on a four-dimensional asymptotically AdS black hole with scalar hair

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalez, P.A.; Olivares, Marco [Universidad Diego Portales, Facultad de Ingenieria, Santiago (Chile); Vasquez, Yerko [Universidad de La Serena, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, La Serena (Chile)

    2015-10-15

    Motivated by black hole solutions with matter fields outside their horizon, we study the effect of these matter fields on the motion of massless and massive particles. We consider as background a four-dimensional asymptotically AdS black hole with scalar hair. The geodesics are studied numerically and we discuss the differences in the motion of particles between the four-dimensional asymptotically AdS black holes with scalar hair and their no-hair limit, that is, Schwarzschild AdS black holes. Mainly, we found that there are bounded orbits like planetary orbits in this background. However, the periods associated to circular orbits are modified by the presence of the scalar hair. Besides, we found that some classical tests such as perihelion precession, deflection of light, and gravitational time delay have the standard value of general relativity plus a correction term coming from the cosmological constant and the scalar hair. Finally, we found a specific value of the parameter associated to the scalar hair, in order to explain the discrepancy between the theory and the observations, for the perihelion precession of Mercury and light deflection. (orig.)

  4. “PERFORMANCE TREND” AND “PERFORMANCE CURRENT” RATINGS BY ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED (EVA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALEXANDRU BOGEANU

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available The Economic Value Added (EVA is an index of “durable development.” It was proposed by the Stern-Stewart Office and represents the true economic profit of companies. A company reports economic profit only if thereported accounting profit is higher than the opportunity cost of equity. The authors of the EVA model (Stern-Stewart have also proposed the ways of restating the financial statements to get a “fair image” of the results, thuseliminating the “accounting distortions.”Based on the performance indexes calculated based on EVA and second-generation indexes relating toEVA, we calculated two types of rating: Rating Performance Current and Rating Performance Trend. The rating iscalculated by means of the percentiles technique and the results are split into 22 rating classes.The used database is Russell 3000.

  5. Development of a dissertation quality value-added model for humanities and social sciences programs for private higher education institutions in Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thanyasinee Laosum

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this study were: (1 to evaluate the quality of dissertations in the humanities and social sciences of private higher education institutions, (2 to analyze factors affecting the quality at the student, advisor, and institute levels, and (3 to develop a quality, value-added model of the dissertations. Samples consisted of: (1 750 student dissertations in the humanities and social sciences and (2 753 questionnaire responses consisting of 633 students, 108 dissertation advisors, and 12 senior administrators in the participating institutions. A 5-point rating dissertation evaluation scale was developed for use by the researcher and her assistants. Three sets of a dissertation attribution questionnaire used by the students, advisors, and senior administrators were also developed and administered. Descriptive statistics were used with the 5-point rating data. The 3-level HLM package was used to analyze the quality, value-added model of the dissertations. The findings of the study were: (1 the overall quality of the 750 dissertations was at the standard level; (2 there were 5 factors at 3 different levels influencing the dissertation quality with 1 student factor (favorable characteristics in conducting research, 3 advisor factors (experience in research, up-to-date knowledge in research, and the advisor-student ratio, 1 institutional factor (close monitoring and management system; and (3 the quality value-added model was able to predict the variance of the dissertation quality at 36 percent.

  6. What is the added value of combined core biopsy and fine needle aspiration in the diagnostic process of renal tumours?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barwari, K.; Kümmerlin, I.P.E.D.; Ten Kate, F.J.; Algaba, F.; Trias, I.; Wijkstra, H.; Rosette, de la J.J.M.C.H.; Laguna, M.P.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Non-diagnostic results still hinder the routine use of core biopsy (CB) and fine needle aspiration (FNA) in the diagnostic process of renal tumours. Furthermore, substantial interobserver variability has been reported. We assessed the added value of combining the results of CB and FNA by

  7. What is the added value of combined core biopsy and fine needle aspiration in the diagnostic process of renal tumours?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barwari, K.; Kummerlin, I. P.; ten Kate, F. J.; Algaba, F.; Trias, I.; Wijkstra, H.; de la Rosette, J. J.; Laguna, P.

    2013-01-01

    Non-diagnostic results still hinder the routine use of core biopsy (CB) and fine needle aspiration (FNA) in the diagnostic process of renal tumours. Furthermore, substantial interobserver variability has been reported. We assessed the added value of combining the results of CB and FNA by five

  8. Critical Phenomena in Higher Curvature Charged AdS Black Holes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arindam Lala

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we have studied the critical phenomena in higher curvature charged AdS black holes. We have considered Lovelock-Born-Infeld-AdS black hole as an example. The thermodynamics of the black hole have been studied which reveals the onset of a higher-order phase transition in the black hole in the canonical ensemble (fixed charge ensemble framework. We have analytically derived the critical exponents associated with these thermodynamic quantities. We find that our results fit well with the thermodynamic scaling laws and consistent with the mean field theory approximation. The suggestive values of the other two critical exponents associated with the correlation function and correlation length on the critical surface have been derived.

  9. Employment and taxes in Latin America: An empirical study of the effects of payroll, corporate income and value-added taxes on labor outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Lora

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper empirically explores the effects of payroll taxes, value-added taxes and corporate income taxes on a variety of labor market outcomes such as participation, employment, informality, and wages. The results are based on nationallevel data of labor variables for 15 Latin American countries, and indicate that the effects of each tax are markedly different and may depend on several aspects of labor and tax institutions. Payroll taxes reduce employment and increase labor costs when their benefits are not valued by workers, but otherwise may increase labor participation and not raise labor costs. Value-added taxes increase informality and reduce skilled labor demand. In contrast, corporate income taxes may help reduce informality, especially among low education workers, but when tax enforcement capabilities are strong they may reduce labor participation and employment of medium- and high-education workers.

  10. Does the Lever Sign Test Have Added Value for Diagnosing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Ruptures?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lichtenberg, Miranda C.; Koster, Christiaan H.; Teunissen, Lennart P.J.; Oosterveld, Frits G.J.; Harmsen, Annelieke M.K.; Haverkamp, Daniel; Hoornenborg, Daniel; Berg, Robert P.; Bloemers, Frank W.; Faber, Irene R.

    2018-01-01

    Background: Diagnosing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture based on a physical examination remains a challenge for both surgeons and physical therapists. The lever sign test was developed to overcome the practical limitations of other tests and to optimize diagnosis. An evaluation of the measurement properties of the lever sign test is needed to make adequate interpretations in practice. Purpose: To evaluate the reliability and diagnostic value of the lever sign test. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 94 patients were recruited between November 2014 and July 2016. Patients were included if they were at least 16 years old, suffered from knee trauma, and had indications for knee arthroscopic surgery. Lever sign, anterior drawer, Lachman, and pivot-shift test outcomes were examined by an orthopaedic/trauma surgeon and a physical therapist. A test-retest design was used to investigate interrater reliability. Moreover, the lever sign test outcomes, alone and in combination with the other diagnostic tests, were compared with arthroscopic results, which served as the gold standard for the test’s diagnostic value. Results: The lever sign test and pivot-shift test had kappa values exceeding 0.80 for interrater reliability. The kappa values for the anterior drawer test and Lachman test were 0.80 and 0.77, respectively. The lever sign test showed the highest specificity (100%) and the lowest sensitivity (39%) when compared with the other 3 tests. Moreover, its positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 65%, respectively, while an accuracy of 71% was calculated. Clustering the lever sign test parallel with the other 3 tests resulted in the highest accuracy of 91%. Conclusion: The lever sign test appears to have high interrater reliability and is the most specific test, showing a maximal positive predictive value. A positive lever sign test result indicates an ACL rupture. These results support the added value

  11. Assessing the Potential of Using Value-Added Estimates of Teacher Job Performance for Making Tenure Decisions. Working Paper 31

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldhaber, Dan; Hansen, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Reforming teacher tenure is an idea that appears to be gaining traction with the underlying assumption being that one can infer to a reasonable degree how well a teacher will perform over her career based on estimates of her early-career effectiveness. Here we explore the potential for using value-added models to estimate performance and inform…

  12. Holography beyond conformal invariance and AdS isometry?

    CERN Document Server

    Barvinsky, A.O.

    2015-01-01

    We suggest that the principle of holographic duality can be extended beyond conformal invariance and AdS isometry. Such an extension is based on a special relation between functional determinants of the operators acting in the bulk and on its boundary, provided that the boundary operator represents the inverse propagators of the theory induced on the boundary by the Dirichlet boundary value problem from the bulk spacetime. This relation holds for operators of general spin-tensor structure on generic manifolds with boundaries irrespective of their background geometry and conformal invariance, and it apparently underlies numerous $O(N^0)$ tests of AdS/CFT correspondence, based on direct calculation of the bulk and boundary partition functions, Casimir energies and conformal anomalies. The generalized holographic duality is discussed within the concept of the "double-trace" deformation of the boundary theory, which is responsible in the case of large $N$ CFT coupled to the tower of higher spin gauge fields for t...

  13. Added value of cardiac computed tomography for evaluation of mechanical aortic valve: Emphasis on evaluation of pannus with surgical findings as standard reference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, Young Joo; Lee, Sak; Im, Dong Jin; Chang, Suyon; Hong, Yoo Jin; Lee, Hye-Jeong; Hur, Jin; Choi, Byoung Wook; Chang, Byung-Chul; Shim, Chi Young; Hong, Geu-Ru; Kim, Young Jin

    2016-07-01

    The added value of cardiac computed tomography (CT) with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for evaluating mechanical aortic valve (AV) dysfunction has not yet been investigated. The purposes of this study were to investigate the added value of cardiac CT for evaluation of mechanical AVs and diagnoses of pannus compared to TEE, with surgical findings of redo-aortic valve replacement (AVR) used as a standard reference. 25 patients who underwent redo-AVR due to mechanical AV dysfunction and cardiac CT before redo-AVR were included. The presence of pannus, encroachment ratio by pannus, and limitation of motion (LOM) were evaluated on CT. The diagnostic performance of pannus detection was compared using TEE, CT, and CT+TEE, with surgical findings as a standard reference. The added value of CT for diagnosing the cause of mechanical AV dysfunction was assessed compared to TTE+TEE. In two patients, CT analysis was not feasible due to severe metallic artifacts. On CT, pannus and LOM were found in 100% (23/23) and 60.9% (14/23). TEE identified pannus in 48.0% of patients (12/25). CT, TEE, and CT+TEE correctly identified pannus with sensitivity of 92.0%, 48.0%, and 92.0%, respectively (P=0.002 for CT vs. TEE). In 11 of 13 cases (84.6%) with inconclusive or negative TEE results for pannus, CT detected the pannus. Among 13 inconclusive cases of TTE+TEE for the cause of mechanical AV dysfunction, CT suggested 6 prosthetic valve obstruction (PVO) by pannus, 4 low-flow low-gradient PVO, and one LOM without significant PVO. Cardiac CT showed added diagnostic value with TEE in the detection of pannus as the cause of mechanical AV dysfunction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Supersymmetric AdS3, AdS2 and bubble solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gauntlett, Jerome P.; Waldram, Daniel; Kim, Nakwoo

    2007-01-01

    We present new supersymmetric AdS 3 solutions of type IIB supergravity and AdS 2 solutions of D = 11 supergravity. The former are dual to conformal field theories in two dimensions with N = (0, 2) supersymmetry while the latter are dual to conformal quantum mechanics with two supercharges. Our construction also includes AdS 2 solutions of D = 11 supergravity that have non-compact internal spaces which are dual to three-dimensional N = 2 superconformal field theories coupled to point-like defects. We also present some new bubble-type solutions, corresponding to BPS states in conformal theories, that preserve four supersymmetries

  15. Added value of coronal reformations for duty radiologists and for referring physicians or surgeons in the CT diagnosis of acute appendicitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyoung Ho; Kim, Young Hoon; Hahn, Seo Kyung; Lee, Kyung Won; Lee, Hak Jong; Kim, Tae Jung; Kang, Sung Bum; Shin, Joong Ho; Park, Byung Joo

    2006-01-01

    To assess the added value of coronal reformation for radiologists and for referring physicians or surgeons in the CT diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Contrast-enhanced CT was performed using 16-detector-row scanners in 110 patients, 46 of whom had appendicitis. Transverse (5-mm thickness, 4-mm increment), coronal (5-mm thickness, 4-mm increment), and combined transverse and coronal sections were interpreted by four radiologists, two surgeons and two emergency physicians. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Az value), sensitivity, specificity, (McNemar test), diagnostic confidence and appendiceal visualization (Wilcoxon signed rank test) were compared. For radiologists, the additional coronal sections tended to increase the Az value (0.972 vs 0.986, ρ=0.076) and pooled sensitivity (92% [95% CI: 88,96] vs. 96% [93,99]), and enhanced appendiceal visualization in true-positive cases (ρ= 0.031). For non-radiologists, no such enhancement was observed, and the confidence for excluding acute appendicitis declined (ρ=0.013). Coronal sections alone were inferior to transverse sections for diagnostic confidence as well as appendiceal visualization for each reader group studied (ρ<0.05). The added value of coronal reformation is more apparent for radiologists compared to referring physicians or surgeons in the CT diagnosis of acute appendicitis

  16. VAT application in travel services pursuant to the Czech and EU legislations and a proposal for amendments in the Czech value-added tax law

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milena Otavová

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The domain of value-added tax has been already fully harmonized. Its regulation dwells on the Council Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value-added tax, and all member countries of the European Union are obliged to provide for the implementation of this Directive into their national legislations similarly as the Czech Republic, which entered the European Union on 1 May 2004. The Act no. 235/2004 Coll. on the value-added tax as amended (hereinafter „value-added tax law“ should be therefore in line with the Directive. In reality however, some issues in the VAT law have not been fully harmonized yet. One of these issues is for example the application of a special routine for travel services according to §89 of the VAT law, which is in essential contradiction with the Directive in question, the controversial point being definition of the person of customer whom the Directive understands in a different way than the VAT law. Thus, the characterization of the problem based on the Czech and EU legislations with respect to jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Community forms a framework of the paper. Based on a comparative analysis of the application of special and ordinary routines in providing travel services to the customer by the taxpayer, tax incidence in his assessment base is determined. At the same time, the paper also includes a proposal for the change of the definition of customer in the VAT law so that the application of the given routine is fully in line with the EU Directive.

  17. Investigating added value of regional climate modeling in North American winter storm track simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poan, E. D.; Gachon, P.; Laprise, R.; Aider, R.; Dueymes, G.

    2018-03-01

    Extratropical Cyclone (EC) characteristics depend on a combination of large-scale factors and regional processes. However, the latter are considered to be poorly represented in global climate models (GCMs), partly because their resolution is too coarse. This paper describes a framework using possibilities given by regional climate models (RCMs) to gain insight into storm activity during winter over North America (NA). Recent past climate period (1981-2005) is considered to assess EC activity over NA using the NCEP regional reanalysis (NARR) as a reference, along with the European reanalysis ERA-Interim (ERAI) and two CMIP5 GCMs used to drive the Canadian Regional Climate Model—version 5 (CRCM5) and the corresponding regional-scale simulations. While ERAI and GCM simulations show basic agreement with NARR in terms of climatological storm track patterns, detailed bias analyses show that, on the one hand, ERAI presents statistically significant positive biases in terms of EC genesis and therefore occurrence while capturing their intensity fairly well. On the other hand, GCMs present large negative intensity biases in the overall NA domain and particularly over NA eastern coast. In addition, storm occurrence over the northwestern topographic regions is highly overestimated. When the CRCM5 is driven by ERAI, no significant skill deterioration arises and, more importantly, all storm characteristics near areas with marked relief and over regions with large water masses are significantly improved with respect to ERAI. Conversely, in GCM-driven simulations, the added value contributed by CRCM5 is less prominent and systematic, except over western NA areas with high topography and over the Western Atlantic coastlines where the most frequent and intense ECs are located. Despite this significant added-value on seasonal-mean characteristics, a caveat is raised on the RCM ability to handle storm temporal `seriality', as a measure of their temporal variability at a given

  18. IMPROVEMENT OF KEY PROCESSES THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF VALUE ADDED IN TECHNOLOGY- BASED COMPANIES A SINGLE PROJECT PRODUCTIONS OF THE WATER SECTOR IN CUBA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reina Maylín, Hernández Oro

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we present the main results of research designed to improve key business processes, using a procedure designed for this purpose, and which includes among its main stages, the analysis of value added by activity, adapting to technology based companies’ productions by one of the water sector project in Cuba. The procedure consistently combines different techniques such as multi-criteria decision analysis for selection of the key processes and analysis of value added by activity to identify key processes to improve and identify opportunities for improvement. The main results are able to identify, classify and relate the processes taking place in the organization, and represent them in a process map, and then determine the key processes for improvement, based on the analysis of value added at each process of each of the activities in it. Derived from the results obtained are proposed and implemented a set of organizational improvements had a positive economic impact for the company under study, allowing a positive conclusion on the feasibility of implementation, flexibility and robustness of the procedure developed in technology-based companies single project productions of the water sector in Cuba to support their business management.

  19. Solid phase bio-electrofermentation of food waste to harvest value-added products associated with waste remediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandrasekhar, K; Amulya, K; Mohan, S Venkata

    2015-11-01

    A novel solid state bio-electrofermentation system (SBES), which can function on the self-driven bioelectrogenic activity was designed and fabricated in the laboratory. SBES was operated with food waste as substrate and evaluated for simultaneous production of electrofuels viz., bioelectricity, biohydrogen (H2) and bioethanol. The system illustrated maximum open circuit voltage and power density of 443 mV and 162.4 mW/m(2), respectively on 9 th day of operation while higher H2 production rate (21.9 ml/h) was observed on 19th day of operation. SBES system also documented 4.85% w/v bioethanol production on 20th day of operation. The analysis of end products confirmed that H2 production could be generally attributed to a mixed acetate/butyrate-type of fermentation. Nevertheless, the presence of additional metabolites in SBES, including formate, lactate, propionate and ethanol, also suggested that other metabolic pathways were active during the process, lowering the conversion of substrate into H2. SBES also documented 72% substrate (COD) removal efficiency along with value added product generation. Continuous evolution of volatile fatty acids as intermediary metabolites resulted in pH drop and depicted its negative influence on SBES performance. Bio-electrocatalytic analysis was carried out to evaluate the redox catalytic capabilities of the biocatalyst. Experimental data illustrated that solid-state fermentation can be effectively integrated in SBES for the production of value added products with the possibility of simultaneous solid waste remediation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Added Value of Far-Infrared Radiometry for Ice Cloud Remote Sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Libois, Q.; Blanchet, J. P.; Ivanescu, L.; S Pelletier, L.; Laurence, C.

    2017-12-01

    Several cloud retrieval algorithms based on satellite observations in the infrared have been developed in the last decades. However, most of these observations only cover the midinfrared (MIR, λ technology, though, now make it possible to consider spaceborne remote sensing in the FIR. Here we show that adding a few FIR channels with realistic radiometric performances to existing spaceborne narrowband radiometers would significantly improve their ability to retrieve ice cloud radiative properties. For clouds encountered in the polar regions and the upper troposphere, where the atmosphere above clouds is sufficiently transparent in the FIR, using FIR channels would reduce by more than 50% the uncertainties on retrieved values of optical thickness, effective particle diameter, and cloud top altitude. This would somehow extend the range of applicability of current infrared retrieval methods to the polar regions and to clouds with large optical thickness, where MIR algorithms perform poorly. The high performance of solar reflection-based algorithms would thus be reached in nighttime conditions. Using FIR observations is a promising venue for studying ice cloud microphysics and precipitation processes, which is highly relevant for cirrus clouds and convective towers, and for investigating the water cycle in the driest regions of the atmosphere.

  1. From maturity to value-added innovation: lessons from the pharmaceutical and agro-biotechnology industries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittra, James; Tait, Joyce; Wield, David

    2011-03-01

    The pharmaceutical and agro-biotechnology industries have been confronted by dwindling product pipelines and rapid developments in life sciences, thus demanding a strategic rethink of conventional research and development. Despite offering both industries a solution to the pipeline problem, the life sciences have also brought complex regulatory challenges for firms. In this paper, we comment on the response of these industries to the life science trajectory, in the context of maturing conventional small-molecule product pipelines and routes to market. The challenges of managing transition from maturity to new high-value-added innovation models are addressed. Furthermore, we argue that regulation plays a crucial role in shaping the innovation systems of both industries, and as such, we suggest potentially useful changes to the current regulatory system. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Does adding an appended oncology module to the Global Trigger Tool increase its value?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mattsson, Thea Otto; Knudsen, Janne Lehmann; Brixen, Kim

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine any additional value in the evaluation of safety levels by adding an appended oncology module to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Global Trigger Tool (GTT). DESIGN: Comparison of two independent retrospective chart reviews: one review team using the general GTT...... method and one using the general GTT method plus the appended oncology module on the same inpatient charts. SETTING: The Department of Clinical Oncology at a Danish University Hospital (1000 beds). PARTICIPANTS: All inpatients admitted to the hospital in 2010, n = 3692, biweekly sample of 10 admission...... per 1000 admission days. RESULTS: No significant (95% confidence interval) difference was found between review teams using the general GTT versus the general GTT plus the appended oncology module on the total number of identified AEs, AEs per 100 admissions, AEs per 1000 admission days...

  3. Pengaruh Struktur Kepemilikan Terhadap Kinerja Dengan Value Added Intellectual Capital Coefficient (VAIC Sebagai Variabel Intervening [The Influence of Ownership Structure on Performance with Value Added Intellectual Capital Coefficient (VAIC as an Intervening Variable

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fitri Ismiyanti

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Development of science, innovation, and economics shifts the view of how to run a labor-based business into a knowledge-based business. Intellectual capital (IC, which is based on the competitive advantage of companies, is considered as one of the hidden assets that contributes to the measurement of companies’ value. Value Added Intellectual Capital Coefficient (VAICTM is a method developed by Pulic, which became the standard to gauge IC on research in various countries. Ownership structure has indicated effects on VAICTM, because shareholder’s governance reflects the control and supervision of company's assets and performance. VAICTM also has indicated impacts on ROE and company’s market performance, which is proxied by Q  Ratio Modification. The purpose of this study is to measure the effect of ownership structure, such as managerial, domestic institutional, foreign institutional, and government ownership on VAICTM, as well as the influence of VAICTM to the ROE and Q  Ratio Modification on 218 observations of listed companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the period of 2009-2011 using the recursive regression analysis method. The results showed a significantly negative effect of government ownership on VAICTM, and VAICTM had a significantly positive effect on ROE and Q  Ratio Modification. BAHASA INDONESIA ABSTRAK: Perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan, inovasi, dan ekonomi menggeser pandangan cara menjalankan bisnis yang berbasis tenaga kerja (labor-based business menjadi bisnis yang berkarakter ilmu pengetahuan (knowledge-based business. Intellectual capital (IC yang bertumpu pada keunggulan bersaing perusahaan dianggap menjadi salah satu hidden assets yang berkontribusi terhadap pengukuran nilai perusahaan. Value Added Intellectual Capital Coefficient (VAICTM adalah metode yang dikembangkan oleh Pulic, yang menjadi standar pengukur IC pada banyak penelitian di berbagai negara. Struktur kepemilikan diindikasikan memiliki efek terhadap

  4. What Added Value Does Peer Support Bring? Insights from Principals and Teachers on the Utility and Challenges of a School-Based Mentoring Programme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brady, Bernadine; Dolan, Pat; Canavan, John

    2014-01-01

    Over the past decade, there has been greater attention placed on the potential value of peer support models, particularly in school contexts. This paper uses the case study of an Irish school-based peer mentoring programme to identify the added value that peer led models of social support for children and young people offer in a school setting.…

  5. ADDED VALUE-BASED APROACH TO ANALYZE ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND MOBILE COMMERCE BUSINESS MODELS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moritz Weizmann

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available

    Se propone aplicar la teoría del valor informacional agregado (Theory of Informational Added Values, IAV al Electronic Commerce (EC y al Mobile Commerce (MC. El trabajo presentado es una propuesta para acercarse a modelos de negocio, con el foco de criterios típicos de evaluación para modelos de negocio de Internet y del MC. Es también conveniente para comparar modelos de negocio distintos y para poner el valor añadido para los participantes en un contexto. De esta manera, se establecen criterios objetivos que reducen la subjetividad y permiten hacer ciertas predicciones. El artículo termina con un análisis crítico del estado del arte y un comentario sobre las perspectivas futuras.

  6. B. C. Hydro's new value-added customer service: the building check-up program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hepting, C.; Jung, C.; Herman, L.

    1996-01-01

    A recently initiated program of British Columbia Hydro, called 'building check-up' (BCU), which provides a package of value-added services to commercial and institutional customers, was described. The B. C. Hydro program offers a menu of services, allowing customers to select their own combinations. Type of services included in the menu range from basic billing information to energy audits, hourly energy analysis, bill calibration, energy efficiency screening and reporting. The program was instituted in response to a need to adjust demand-side management programs as the utility industry moves towards deregulation, and subsequent increased competition. The objective of the programs is not only to retain present customers but also to pursue new customers in a more competitive environment. Details of the various service components were provided. A preliminary assessment of the program found favorable customer reception. Future evaluation programs envisage formalized participant feedback, and a determination of the direct and indirect cost-effectiveness of the BCU program. 6 figs

  7. Analysis of value added services on GDP Growth Rate using Data Mining Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Douglas KUNDA

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The growth of Information Technology has spawned large amount of databases and huge data in numerous areas. The research in databases and information technology has given rise to an approach to store and manipulate this data for further decision making. In this paper certain data mining techniques were adopted to analyze the data that shows relevance with desired attributes. Regression technique was adopted to help us find out the influence of Agriculture, Service and Manufacturing on the performance of gross domestic product (GDP. Trend and time series technique was applied to the data to help us find out what trend of GDP with respect to service, agriculture and manufacturing sector for the past decade has been. Finally Correlation was also used to help us analyze the relationship among the variables (service, agriculture and manufacturing sector. From the three techniques analyzed, service value added variable was the most prominent variable which showed the strong influence on GDP growth rate.

  8. Value-added strategy models to provide quality services in senior health business.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ya-Ting; Lin, Neng-Pai; Su, Shyi; Chen, Ya-Mei; Chang, Yao-Mao; Handa, Yujiro; Khan, Hafsah Arshed Ali; Elsa Hsu, Yi-Hsin

    2017-06-20

    The rapid population aging is now a global issue. The increase in the elderly population will impact the health care industry and health enterprises; various senior needs will promote the growth of the senior health industry. Most senior health studies are focused on the demand side and scarcely on supply. Our study selected quality enterprises focused on aging health and analyzed different strategies to provide excellent quality services to senior health enterprises. We selected 33 quality senior health enterprises in Taiwan and investigated their excellent quality services strategies by face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews with CEO and managers of each enterprise in 2013. A total of 33 senior health enterprises in Taiwan. Overall, 65 CEOs and managers of 33 enterprises were interviewed individually. None. Core values and vision, organization structure, quality services provided, strategies for quality services. This study's results indicated four type of value-added strategy models adopted by senior enterprises to offer quality services: (i) residential care and co-residence model, (ii) home care and living in place model, (iii) community e-business experience model and (iv) virtual and physical portable device model. The common part in these four strategy models is that the services provided are elderly centered. These models offer virtual and physical integrations, and also offer total solutions for the elderly and their caregivers. Through investigation of successful strategy models for providing quality services to seniors, we identified opportunities to develop innovative service models and successful characteristics, also policy implications were summarized. The observations from this study will serve as a primary evidenced base for enterprises developing their senior market and, also for promoting the value co-creation possibility through dialogue between customers and those that deliver service. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford

  9. Proposal for the risk management implementation phase in oil field development project by adding value on the refurbishment of critical equipment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Abdul

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Refurbishment process is a conceptual stage in product life cycle. It is utilized in existing equipment in the field by adding value to recondition and repaired equipment. The main interest of this paper is to implement and design risk management implementation phase in oil field development project on the refurbishment of critical equipment in oil and gas industry. This paper is provided base on research and experiences in risk management and learned from practical team in industry which matched by an application in oil field development project in refurbishment of critical equipment. A framework of implementation phase for risk management in oil field development project in refurbishment critical equipment were reviewed and added value on communication skills of the project team to the stakeholder and organization, which support to external body and vice-versa. Risk management framework can be used for reference of refurbishment process with simply process and developed with same concept for the next wide development project in industry.

  10. Capturing patients' needs in casemix: a systematic literature review on the value of adding functioning information in reimbursement systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopfe, Maren; Stucki, Gerold; Marshall, Ric; Twomey, Conal D; Üstün, T Bedirhan; Prodinger, Birgit

    2016-02-03

    Contemporary casemix systems for health services need to ensure that payment rates adequately account for actual resource consumption based on patients' needs for services. It has been argued that functioning information, as one important determinant of health service provision and resource use, should be taken into account when developing casemix systems. However, there has to date been little systematic collation of the evidence on the extent to which the addition of functioning information into existing casemix systems adds value to those systems with regard to the predictive power and resource variation explained by the groupings of these systems. Thus, the objective of this research was to examine the value of adding functioning information into casemix systems with respect to the prediction of resource use as measured by costs and length of stay. A systematic literature review was performed. Peer-reviewed studies, published before May 2014 were retrieved from CINAHL, EconLit, Embase, JSTOR, PubMed and Sociological Abstracts using keywords related to functioning ('Functioning', 'Functional status', 'Function*, 'ICF', 'International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health', 'Activities of Daily Living' or 'ADL') and casemix systems ('Casemix', 'case mix', 'Diagnosis Related Groups', 'Function Related Groups', 'Resource Utilization Groups' or 'AN-SNAP'). In addition, a hand search of reference lists of included articles was conducted. Information about study aims, design, country, setting, methods, outcome variables, study results, and information regarding the authors' discussion of results, study limitations and implications was extracted. Ten included studies provided evidence demonstrating that adding functioning information into casemix systems improves predictive ability and fosters homogeneity in casemix groups with regard to costs and length of stay. Collection and integration of functioning information varied across studies. Results suggest

  11. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex, adding value to autobiographical memories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Wen-Jing; Horner, Aidan J; Burgess, Neil

    2016-06-24

    The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been consistently implicated in autobiographical memory recall and decision making. Its function in decision making tasks is believed to relate to value representation, but its function in autobiographical memory recall is not yet clear. We hypothesised that the mPFC represents the subjective value of elements during autobiographical memory retrieval. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging during an autobiographical memory recall task, we found that the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) was parametrically modulated by the affective values of items in participants' memories when they were recalling and evaluating these items. An unrelated modulation by the participant's familiarity with the items was also observed. During retrieval of the event, the BOLD signal in the same region was modulated by the personal significance and emotional intensity of the memory, which was correlated with the values of the items within them. These results support the idea that vmPFC processes self-relevant information, and suggest that it is involved in representing the personal emotional values of the elements comprising autobiographical memories.

  12. Development of small and medium business (SMES) of mango dodol processing to increase the added value (a case study in Ujungjaya Village, Indramayu District, West Java)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulistyowati, L.; Pardian, P.; Syamsyiah, N.; Deliana, Y.

    2018-03-01

    In the national economic development in Indonesia, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) become a priority to be developed, because SMEs can be the backbone of the populist economic system to reduce the problem of poverty. In addition, the development of SMEs is able to expand the economic base and can contribute to the increase of added value, in addition it would also serve to open employment opportunities in rural areas. Indramayu is one of the three mango production centers in West Java that face the problem that there are about 20% of the mangoes that is not worth selling. This opportunity is utilized by women who are members of KUB (Joint Business Group) to be processed into mango dodol at household scale. But this effort has not been widespread, only pioneered by a small portion of women. This study aims toobserve the driving force of women to participate in the processing of mango dodol, and whether the mango processing business to become mango dodol is profitable, also how much added value obtained. This study uses case study method with interview for data collection, participant observation and documentation study. While the data analysis technique using Hayami Value-added Method and descriptive analysis. The results revealed that the factors that affect the women’s participation in the processing of dodol is to increase family income, take advantage of spare time and take advantage of rejected mangoes. The added value obtained in mango dodol processing is Rp.50.600,00 per kilogram of input, with a value-added ratio of 52.8%. For the development of SMEs mangoes Training and socialization are needed for the good dodol processing and hygienic according to SOP (Standard Operational Procedure) from the relevant institutions, innovation in packaging, pioneering business partnerships with stores in the city of Indramayu and surrounding areas, and support financing from banks with an affordable interest rate.

  13. The added value of social media data in B2B customer acquisition systems: A real-life experiment

    OpenAIRE

    Meire, Matthijs; Ballings, Michel; Van den Poel, Dirk

    2017-01-01

    Business-to-business organizations and scholars are becoming increasingly aware of the possibilities social media and predictive analytics offer. Despite the interest in social media, only few have analyzed the impact of social media on the sales process. This paper takes a quantitative view to examine the added value of Facebook data in the customer acquisition process. In order to do so, we devise a customer acquisition decision support system to qualify prospects as potential customers, an...

  14. Validating "Value Added" in the Primary Grades: One District's Attempts to Increase Fairness and Inclusivity in Its Teacher Evaluation System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey; Polasky, Sarah; Holloway-Libell, Jessica

    2016-01-01

    One urban district in the state of Arizona sought to use an alternative achievement test (i.e., the Northwest Evaluation Association's (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress for Primary Grades (MAP)) to include more value-added ineligible teachers in the districts' growth and merit pay system. The goal was to allow for its K-2 teachers to be more…

  15. Assurance of Learning in an MBA Program: Exploration of the Value Added by the Graduate Major Field Test in Business

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kass, Darrin; Grandzol, Christian

    2014-01-01

    The use of standardized tests as a piece of outcomes assessment has risen in recent years in order to satisfy external accrediting bodies such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The authors explore the value added by the Graduate Major Field Test in Business (GMFT-B) for assurance of learning in a master of…

  16. The detection and settlement of VAT fraud in four countries : Addendum to the report value-added tax fraud in the European Union

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aronowitz, A.A.; Laagland, D.C.G.; Paulides, G.

    1996-01-01

    This addendum to the report 'Value-added tax fraud in the European Union' gives additional information on the detection and settlement of VAT fraud in Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. See link to the report at: More information.

  17. Upgrading of lignocellulosic biorefinery to value-added chemicals: Sustainability and economics of bioethanol-derivatives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cheali, Peam; Posada, John A.; Gernaey, Krist

    2015-01-01

    with a sustainability assessment method is used as evaluation tool. First, an existing superstructure representing the lignocellulosic biorefinery design network is extended to include the options for catalytic conversion of bioethanol to value-added derivatives. Second, the optimization problem for process upgrade...... of operating profit for biorefineries producing bioethanol-derived chemicals (247 MM$/a and 241 MM$/a for diethyl ether and 1,3-butadiene, respectively). Second, the optimal designs for upgrading bioethanol (i.e. production of 1,3-butadiene and diethyl ether) performed also better with respect...... to sustainability compared with the petroleum-based processes. In both cases, the effects of the market price uncertainties were also analyzed by performing quantitative economic risk analysis and presented a significant risk of investment for a lignocellulosic biorefinery (12 MM$/a and 92 MM$/a for diethyl ether...

  18. Problematic aspects of the economic value added measure in environment of the Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michaela Beranová

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The EVA indicator has been constructed in the recent past as a reaction to requirements of the new economic environment. As the EVA indicator has been introduced by Stewart Stern & Co. in the early nineties, past two decades many economists have been discussing the pros and cons of EVA application as well as various adjustments needed to calculate some relevant result. A range of attitudes to the adjustments to accounting data towards economic data exist there. As the indicator of economic value added is considered to be a criterion of company’s real economic performance it is necessary to be very careful at applying encouraged adjustments. In this article, the authors compare and discuss these adjustments advised in order to reach some ideal number. Accounting differences of US GAAP, IFRS and Czech Accounting Standards are taken into consideration.

  19. Chapter 17: Adding Value to the Biorefinery with Lignin: An Engineer's Perspective

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Biddy, Mary J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2018-04-03

    There is a long-standing belief that 'you can make anything out of lignin...except money.' This chapter serves to highlight that opportunities for making money from biomass-derived lignin exist both with current technology in the production of steam and power to new emerging areas of R&D focused on value-added chemical and material coproducts from lignin. To understand and quantify the economic potential for lignin valorization, the techno-economic analysis methodology is first described in detail. As demonstrated in the provided case study, these types of economic evaluations serve not only to estimate the economic impacts that lignin conversion could have for an integrated biorefinery and outline drivers for further cost reduction but also identify data gaps and R&D needs for improving the design basis and reducing the risk for process scale-up.

  20. Troll oil. Added value and technological development; Troll olje. Verdiskapning og teknologiutvikling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2006-07-01

    The story about oil extraction from the Troll petroleum reservoirs in the Troll petroleum project, is the story about a very large petroleum reservoir, but very difficult to access. A project that despite vast, technological challenges created a foundation for one of the genuine pioneer projects on Norwegian continental shelf. The social impact of Troll Oil is substantial. The project has generated big, economic profits, strengthened Norwegian and international contractor companies, and contributed to important technological improvements in both drilling- and completion technology, as well as sub sea production. Many of the technological solutions that have been developed in relation to the Troll Oil project have been further developed and used in new fields both in Norway and in other countries. Troll Oil is an excellent example that much of the added value on Norwegian shelf is inextricably connected to technology and competency developments. The project has become a very important point of reference for Norwegian petroleum industry in international markets, and has been an essential factor in the efforts to demonstrate the possibilities of enhanced oil recovery. The success for Troll Oil has contributed to the authorities - and the oil companies - constantly setting higher extraction goals.

  1. Fermentative characteristics and nutritional value of elephant grass silage added with dehydrated banana peel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lara Maria Santos Brant

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the fermentative losses and nutritional value of elephant grass silages with the increasing of inclusion levels of dehydrated banana peel. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with six treatments and four replications, being the silage exclusively from elephant grass, and five levels of inclusion of banana peel to the elephant grass silage, as the following - 5; 10; 15; 20 and 25%, being added based on natural matter. The addition of the banana peel in the silage reduced linearly (p < 0.05 the pH, the ammoniacal nitrogen and the losses of the fermentative process. In addition, the inclusion of banana peel increased linearly (p < 0.05 the dry matter and non-fibrous carbohydrates. On the other hand, the neutral detergent fiber and the acid detergent fiber were linearly reduced with the inclusion of the banana peel (p < 0.05, but there was no change in the dry matter digestibility in situ. The inclusion of dehydrated banana peel in elephant grass silage reduces the losses of the fermentation process with more consistent results at the 25% inclusion level, however, it reduces the silage nutritional value due to fibrous and protein quality.

  2. Urban energy generation: The added value of photovoltaics in social housing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bahaj, A.S.; James, P.A.B.

    2007-01-01

    Social housing offers an alternative for low-to-medium income families and keyworkers (teachers, nurses, and police). In the United Kingdom (UK), this fairly priced, rental accommodation is normally owned by housing associations. This paper explores urban energy generation (micro-generation) focussing on photovoltaics (PV) and how its generated electricity can be used to provide added value in terms of demand reduction and contribute to a reduction in fuel poverty. It presents the results associated from in-depth monitoring of nine low-energy social housing units equipped with PV systems commissioned in 2004 in the South of England, UK. We report on energy load profiles and relate these to occupier behaviour and any changes in consumption that occur. The results highlight the impact of micro-generation showing a close correlation between occupant behaviour and energy consumption. Increased energy awareness can lead to changes in the way energy is used, reducing overall consumption but 'education' must be sustained to ensure long-term energy reductions. The financial benefit of operating high demand electrical appliances at the peak of the solar day as opposed to in the evening when overall demand on the central grid is higher is highlighted. The paper also draws conclusions allied to the challenges that PV micro-generation technology presents in the social housing context. (author)

  3. Partition functions with spin in AdS2 via quasinormal mode methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keeler, Cynthia; Lisbão, Pedro; Ng, Gim Seng

    2016-01-01

    We extend the results of http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/JHEP06(2014)099, computing one loop partition functions for massive fields with spin half in AdS 2 using the quasinormal mode method proposed by Denef, Hartnoll, and Sachdev http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/27/12/125001. We find the finite representations of SO(2,1) for spin zero and spin half, consisting of a highest weight state |h〉 and descendants with non-unitary values of h. These finite representations capture the poles and zeroes of the one loop determinants. Together with the asymptotic behavior of the partition functions (which can be easily computed using a large mass heat kernel expansion), these are sufficient to determine the full answer for the one loop determinants. We also discuss extensions to higher dimensional AdS 2n and higher spins.

  4. Partition functions in even dimensional AdS via quasinormal mode methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keeler, Cynthia; Ng, Gim Seng

    2014-01-01

    In this note, we calculate the one-loop determinant for a massive scalar (with conformal dimension Δ) in even-dimensional AdS d+1 space, using the quasinormal mode method developed in http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/27/12/125001 by Denef, Hartnoll, and Sachdev. Working first in two dimensions on the related Euclidean hyperbolic plane H 2 , we find a series of zero modes for negative real values of Δ whose presence indicates a series of poles in the one-loop partition function Z(Δ) in the Δ complex plane; these poles contribute temperature-independent terms to the thermal AdS partition function computed in http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/27/12/125001. Our results match those in a series of papers by Camporesi and Higuchi, as well as Gopakumar et al. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/JHEP11(2011)010 and Banerjee et al. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/JHEP03(2011)147. We additionally examine the meaning of these zero modes, finding that they Wick-rotate to quasinormal modes of the AdS 2 black hole. They are also interpretable as matrix elements of the discrete series representations of SO(2,1) in the space of smooth functions on S 1 . We generalize our results to general even dimensional AdS 2n , again finding a series of zero modes which are related to discrete series representations of SO(2n,1), the motion group of H 2n .

  5. On the Thermodynamics of a Gas of AdS Black Holes and the Quark-Hadron Phase Transition

    CERN Document Server

    Ellis, Jonathan Richard; Mavromatos, Nikolaos E; Ellis, John

    1999-01-01

    We discuss the thermodynamics of a gas of black holes in five-dimensional anti-de-Sitter (AdS) space, showing that they are described by a van der Waals equation of state. Motivated by the Maldacena conjecture, we relate the energy density and pressure of this non-ideal AdS black-hole gas to those of four-dimensional gauge theory in the unconfined phase. We find that the energy density rises rapidly above the deconfinement transition temperature, whilst the pressure rises more slowly towards its asymptotic high-temperature value, in qualitative agreement with lattice simulations.

  6. An Elusive Policy Imperative: Data and Methodological Challenges When Using Growth in Student Achievement to Evaluate Teacher Education Programs' "Value-Added"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey; Lawton, Kerry; Ronan, Katherine

    2017-01-01

    In this study researchers examined the effectiveness of one of the largest teacher education programs located within the largest research-intensive universities within the US. They did this using a value-added model as per current federal educational policy imperatives to assess the measurable effects of teacher education programs on their teacher…

  7. Reformation of Taxation of Income and Added Value in the Context of Legalisation of Financial Flows

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paientko Tetiana V.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to the study of the potential of taxation tools of legalisation of financial flows. The goal of the article is justification of directions of reformation of taxation of income and added value in the context of legalisation of financial flows in Ukraine. Pursuant to results of the study the article shows that using taxation tools it is possible to legalise and increase both taxation financial flows and a part of the financial flows earlier moved to the shadow sector of economy. First of all, budget receipts from income tax could be increased by means of reduction of this tax evasion. This could be achieved with the help of the mechanism of differentiation of income taxation, namely: application of a reduced income tax rate, which is directed at investments into the fixed capital, and a standard rate for the income distributed for other purposes. This would create conditions when tax evasion becomes unprofitable for tax payers. Second, reducing VAT evasion would result in its growth in budget receipts. To do this it is recommended to use the reduced rate during taxation of food supplies and public transportation services, which would allow reduction of the VAT evasion degree in the sphere of small and medium businesses (not connected with export that are engaged in these types of activity. The size of the reduced rate is identified by elasticity of the shadow added value and VAT multiplier. Third, it is possible to increase financial flows by means of attraction of a part of financial flows, earlier moved into the shadow economy, into economy and mobilisation into the budget using the mechanism of tax amnesty. Using foreign experience the article justifies optimal conditions of amnesty and size of the rate of income legalisation.

  8. Fine Grained Chaos in AdS_{2} Gravity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haehl, Felix M; Rozali, Moshe

    2018-03-23

    Quantum chaos can be characterized by an exponential growth of the thermal out-of-time-order four-point function up to a scrambling time u[over ^]_{*}. We discuss generalizations of this statement for certain higher-point correlation functions. For concreteness, we study the Schwarzian theory of a one-dimensional time reparametrization mode, which describes two-dimensional anti-de Sitter space (AdS_{2}) gravity and the low-energy dynamics of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model. We identify a particular set of 2k-point functions, characterized as being both "maximally braided" and "k-out of time order," which exhibit exponential growth until progressively longer time scales u[over ^]_{*}^{(k)}∼(k-1)u[over ^]_{*}. We suggest an interpretation as scrambling of increasingly fine grained measures of quantum information, which correspondingly take progressively longer time to reach their thermal values.

  9. Fine Grained Chaos in AdS2 Gravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haehl, Felix M.; Rozali, Moshe

    2018-03-01

    Quantum chaos can be characterized by an exponential growth of the thermal out-of-time-order four-point function up to a scrambling time u^*. We discuss generalizations of this statement for certain higher-point correlation functions. For concreteness, we study the Schwarzian theory of a one-dimensional time reparametrization mode, which describes two-dimensional anti-de Sitter space (AdS2 ) gravity and the low-energy dynamics of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model. We identify a particular set of 2 k -point functions, characterized as being both "maximally braided" and "k -out of time order," which exhibit exponential growth until progressively longer time scales u^*(k)˜(k -1 )u^*. We suggest an interpretation as scrambling of increasingly fine grained measures of quantum information, which correspondingly take progressively longer time to reach their thermal values.

  10. Value Added Products from Renewable Biofuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blum, Paul [Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (United States)

    2014-07-31

    Cellulosic ethanol is an emerging biofuel that will make strong contributions to American domestic energy needs. In the US midwest the standard method for pretreatment of biomass uses hot acid to deconstruct lignocellulose. While other methods work, they are not in common use. Therefore it is necessary to work within this context to achieve process improvements and reductions in biofuel cost. Technology underlying this process could supplement and even replace commodity enzymes with engineered microbes to convert biomass-derived lignocellulose feedstocks into biofuels and valueadded chemicals. The approach that was used here was based on consolidated bioprocessing. Thermoacidophilic microbes belonging to the Domain Archaea were evaluated and modfied to promote deconvolution and saccharification of lignocellulose. Biomass pretreatment (hot acid) was combined with fermentation using an extremely thermoacidophilic microbial platform. The identity and fate of released sugars was controlled using metabolic blocks combined with added biochemical traits where needed. LC/MS analysis supported through the newly established Nebraska Bioenergy Facility provided general support for bioenergy researchers at the University of Nebraska. The primary project strategy was to use microbes that naturally flourish in hot acid (thermoacidophiles) with conventional biomass pretreatment that uses hot acid. The specific objectives were: to screen thermoacidophilic taxa for the ability to deconvolute lignocellulose and depolymerize associated carbohydrates; evaluate and respond to formation of “inhibitors” that arose during incubation of lignocellulose under heated acidic conditions; identify and engineer “sugar flux channeling and catabolic blocks” that redirect metabolic pathways to maximize sugar concentrations; expand the hydrolytic capacity of extremely thermoacidophilic microbes through the addition of deconvolution traits; and establish the Nebraska Bioenergy Facility (NBF

  11. AdS2 holographic dictionary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cvetič, Mirjam; Papadimitriou, Ioannis

    2016-01-01

    We construct the holographic dictionary for both running and constant dilaton solutions of the two dimensional Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton theory that is obtained by a circle reduction from Einstein-Hilbert gravity with negative cosmological constant in three dimensions. This specific model ensures that the dual theory has a well defined ultraviolet completion in terms of a two dimensional conformal field theory, but our results apply qualitatively to a wider class of two dimensional dilaton gravity theories. For each type of solutions we perform holographic renormalization, compute the exact renormalized one-point functions in the presence of arbitrary sources, and derive the asymptotic symmetries and the corresponding conserved charges. In both cases we find that the scalar operator dual to the dilaton plays a crucial role in the description of the dynamics. Its source gives rise to a matter conformal anomaly for the running dilaton solutions, while its expectation value is the only non trivial observable for constant dilaton solutions. The role of this operator has been largely overlooked in the literature. We further show that the only non trivial conserved charges for running dilaton solutions are the mass and the electric charge, while for constant dilaton solutions only the electric charge is non zero. However, by uplifting the solutions to three dimensions we show that constant dilaton solutions can support non trivial extended symmetry algebras, including the one found by Compère, Song and Strominger http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/JHEP05(2013)152, in agreement with the results of Castro and Song http://arxiv.org/abs/1411.1948. Finally, we demonstrate that any solution of this specific dilaton gravity model can be uplifted to a family of asymptotically AdS 2 ×S 2 or conformally AdS 2 ×S 2 solutions of the STU model in four dimensions, including non extremal black holes. The four dimensional solutions obtained by uplifting the running dilaton solutions coincide

  12. Radiatively induced symmetry breaking and the conformally coupled magnetic monopole in AdS space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edery, Ariel; Graham, Noah

    2013-11-01

    We implement quantum corrections for a magnetic monopole in a classically conformally invariant theory containing gravity. This yields the trace (conformal) anomaly and introduces a length scale in a natural fashion via the process of renormalization. We evaluate the one-loop effective potential and extract the vacuum expectation value (VEV) from it; spontaneous symmetry breaking is radiatively induced. The VEV is set at the renormalization scale M and we exchange the dimensionless scalar coupling constant for the dimensionful VEV via dimensional transmutation. The asymptotic (background) spacetime is anti-de Sitter (AdS) and its Ricci scalar is determined entirely by the VEV. We obtain analytical asymptotic solutions to the coupled set of equations governing gravitational, gauge and scalar fields that yield the magnetic monopole in an AdS spacetime.

  13. The added value of coaching compared to a friendly discussion: Insight from behavioral economics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Psiloutsikou

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose – This paper addresses a criticism of coaching that is rather overlooked in the respective literature but highly discussed among clients. It is often claimed that coaching is nothing more than a chat among friends or colleagues and has, therefore, no added value for a potential customer. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on the respective interdisciplinary literature to identify limitations and biases that are present in general discussions with friends or colleagues but professional coaches should be trained to overcome. Findings – Questions and discussion are indeed at the core of a coaching session, thus bearing much resemblance to a friendly chat. However, the resemblance is superficial. In this paper ten main differences between a coaching session and a discussion with a non-expert are found and analyzed. They are grouped into three categories: Biases, Heuristics and Personal Limitations. Research limitations/implications – Further research will be needed to test empirically the use of input from behavioural economics as a basis for coaching and also to enrich it with additional factors. Moreover, practitioners can use the proposed factors to increase their effectiveness as well as to create a unique selling proposition for their business. Originality/value – The paper discusses specific skills and capabilities that a professional coach must have and provides significant implications for both researchers and practitioners.

  14. IAS telecommunication infrastructure and value added network services provided by IASNET

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnov, Oleg L.; Marchenko, Sergei

    The topology of a packet switching network for the Soviet National Centre for Automated Data Exchange with Foreign Computer Networks and Databanks (NCADE) based on a design by the Institute for Automated Systems (IAS) is discussed. NCADE has partners all over the world: it is linked to East European countries via telephone lines while satellites are used for communication with remote partners, such as Cuba, Mongolia, and Vietnam. Moreover, there is a connection to the Austrian, British, Canadian, Finnish, French, U.S. and other western networks through which users can have access to databases on each network. At the same time, NCADE provides western customers with access to more than 70 Soviet databases. Software and hardware of IASNET use data exchange recommendations agreed with the International Standard Organization (ISO) and International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT). Technical parameters of IASNET are compatible with the majority of foreign networks such as DATAPAK, TRANSPAC, TELENET, and others. By means of IASNET, the NCADE provides connection of Soviet and foreign users to information and computer centers around the world on the basis of the CCITT X.25 and X.75 recommendations. Any information resources of IASNET and value added network services, such as computer teleconferences, E-mail, information retrieval system, intelligent support of access to databanks and databases, and others are discussed. The topology of the ACADEMNET connected to IASNET over an X.25 gateway is also discussed.

  15. The Global Value Chain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Olav Jull

    The conference paper aims to develop the global value chain concept by including corporate internal value adding activities and competition to the basic framework in order to turn the global value chain into a strategic management tool......The conference paper aims to develop the global value chain concept by including corporate internal value adding activities and competition to the basic framework in order to turn the global value chain into a strategic management tool...

  16. Amide proton transfer imaging to discriminate between low- and high-grade gliomas: added value to apparent diffusion coefficient and relative cerebral blood volume

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Yoon Seong; Ahn, Sung Soo; Lee, Seung-Koo [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Jong Hee; Kang, Seok-Gu [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Se Hoon [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Zhou, Jinyuan [Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of MRI Research, Department of Radiology, Baltimore, MD (United States)

    2017-08-15

    To evaluate the added value of amide proton transfer (APT) imaging to the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and the relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) from perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for discriminating between high- and low-grade gliomas. Forty-six consecutive adult patients with diffuse gliomas who underwent preoperative APT imaging, DTI and perfusion MRI were enrolled. APT signals were compared according to the World Health Organization grade. The diagnostic ability and added value of the APT signal to the ADC and rCBV for discriminating between low- and high-grade gliomas were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and integrated discrimination improvement. The APT signal increased as the glioma grade increased. The discrimination abilities of the APT, ADC and rCBV values were not significantly different. Using both the APT signal and ADC significantly improved discrimination vs. the ADC alone (area under the ROC curve [AUC], 0.888 vs. 0.910; P = 0.007), whereas using both the APT signal and rCBV did not improve discrimination vs. the rCBV alone (AUC, 0.927 vs. 0.923; P = 0.222). APT imaging may be a useful imaging biomarker that adds value to the ADC for discriminating between low- and high-grade gliomas. (orig.)

  17. Reductio ad Contradictionem: An Algebraic Perspective

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Přenosil, Adam

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 104, č. 3 (2016), s. 389-415 ISSN 0039-3215 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP202/10/1826 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : de Morgan algebras * contradiction * reductio ad contradictionem * reductio ad absurdum * four-valued logic * paraconsistent logic * inconsistency * completeness Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.589, year: 2016

  18. Lignocellulosic biorefinery as a model for sustainable development of biofuels and value added products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Bhowmick, Goldy; Sarmah, Ajit K; Sen, Ramkrishna

    2018-01-01

    A constant shift of society's dependence from petroleum-based energy resources towards renewable biomass-based has been the key to tackle the greenhouse gas emissions. Effective use of biomass feedstock, particularly lignocellulosic, has gained worldwide attention lately. Lignocellulosic biomass as a potent bioresource, however, cannot be a sustainable alternative if the production cost is too high and/ or the availability is limited. Recycling the lignocellulosic biomass from various sources into value added products such as bio-oil, biochar or other biobased chemicals in a bio-refinery model is a sensible idea. Combination of integrated conversion techniques along with process integration is suggested as a sustainable approach. Introducing 'series concept' accompanying intermittent dark/photo fermentation with co-cultivation of microalgae is conceptualised. While the cost of downstream processing for a single type of feedstock would be high, combining different feedstocks and integrating them in a bio-refinery model would lessen the production cost and reduce CO 2 emission. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Improved Correction of IR Loss in Diffuse Shortwave Measurements: An ARM Value-Added Product

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Younkin, K; Long, CN

    2003-11-01

    Simple single black detector pyranometers, such as the Eppley Precision Spectral Pyranometer (PSP) used by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program, are known to lose energy via infrared (IR) emission to the sky. This is especially a problem when making clear-sky diffuse shortwave (SW) measurements, which are inherently of low magnitude and suffer the greatest IR loss. Dutton et al. (2001) proposed a technique using information from collocated pyrgeometers to help compensate for this IR loss. The technique uses an empirically derived relationship between the pyrgeometer detector data (and alternatively the detector data plus the difference between the pyrgeometer case and dome temperatures) and the nighttime pyranometer IR loss data. This relationship is then used to apply a correction to the diffuse SW data during daylight hours. We developed an ARM value-added product (VAP) called the SW DIFF CORR 1DUTT VAP to apply the Dutton et al. correction technique to ARM PSP diffuse SW measurements.

  20. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex, adding value to autobiographical memories

    OpenAIRE

    Lin, W. J.; Horner, A. J.; Burgess, N.

    2016-01-01

    The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been consistently implicated in autobiographical memory recall and decision making. Its function in decision making tasks is believed to relate to value representation, but its function in autobiographical memory recall is not yet clear. We hypothesised that the mPFC represents the subjective value of elements during autobiographical memory retrieval. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging during an autobiographical memory recall task, we found tha...

  1. OPTIMASI LINI PRODUKSI DENGAN VALUE STREAM MAPPING DAN VALUE STREAM ANALYSIS TOOLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yosua Caesar Fernando

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Meminimalkan pemborosan dalam proses produksi adalah salah satu tujuan dari suatu perusahaan. Lean adalah metode yang dapat meminimalkan pemborosan dalam proses produksi. Dalam penelitian ini, metode yang digunakan untuk meminimalkan limbah di PT. Bonindo Abadi adalah Value Stream Analysis Tools (VALSAT dan Value Stream Mapping (VSM. VSM digunakan untuk melihat kondisi peta keadaan pada perusahaan. Pengurangan pemborosan dilakukan dengan menggunakan salah satu alat dari VALSAT yaitu Process Activity Mapping (PAM. Jumlah non value added (NVA yang ditemukan dalam proses produksi PT. X adalah 90,17% diikuti oleh necessary but non value added (NNVA dengan jumlah 9,79% dan value added (VA sebesar 0,04%. Usulan perbaikan yang diberikan adalah dengan mengurangi jumlah waktu aktivitas NVA atau menghilangkannya.

  2. Differential diagnosis of oligodendroglial and astrocytic tumors using imaging results: the added value of perfusion MR imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Hyun Jung [Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Kook Jin; Lee, Song; Jang, Jin Hee; Choi, Hyun Seok; Jung, So Lyung; Kim, Bum Soo [Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jeun, Shin Soo; Hong, Yong Kil [Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-07-15

    The purposes of the present study are to assess whether different characteristics of oligodendrogliomas and astrocytic tumors are visible on MR imaging and to determine the added value of perfusion imaging in conventional MR imaging when differentiating oligodendrogliomas from astrocytic tumors. We retrospectively studied 22 oligodendroglioma and 54 astrocytic tumor patients, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The morphological tumor characteristics were evaluated using MR imaging. The rCBV, K{sup trans}, and V{sub e} values were recorded. All imaging and clinical values were compared. The ability to discriminate between the two entities was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. Separate comparison analysis between oligodendroglioma and astrocytic tumors excluding GBM was also performed. The presence of calcification, higher cortex involvement ratio, and lower V{sub e} value were more representative of oligodendrogliomas than astrocytic tumors (P = <0.001, 0.038, and <0.001, respectively). The area under the curve (AUC) value of a combination of calcification and cortex involvement ratio was 0.796. The combination of all three parameters, including V{sub e}, further increased the diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.881). Comparison test of the two AUC areas revealed significant difference (P = 0.0474). The presence of calcification and higher cortex involvement ratio were the only findings suggestive of oligodendrogliomas than astrocytic tumors with exclusion of GBMs (P = 0.014 and <0.001, respectively). Cortex involvement ratio and the presence of calcification with V{sub e} values were diagnostically accurate in identifying oligodendrogliomas. The V{sub e} value calculated from dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging could be a supportive tool for differentiating between oligodendrogliomas and astrocytic tumors including GBMs. (orig.)

  3. Localized AdS_{5}×S^{5} Black Holes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, Óscar J C; Santos, Jorge E; Way, Benson

    2016-10-07

    According to heuristic arguments, global AdS_{5}×S^{5} black holes are expected to undergo a phase transition in the microcanonical ensemble. At high energies, one expects black holes that respect the symmetries of the S^{5}; at low energies, one expects "localized" black holes that appear pointlike on the S^{5}. According to anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory correspondence, N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills (SYM) theory on a 3-sphere should therefore exhibit spontaneous R-symmetry breaking at strong coupling. In this Letter, we numerically construct these localized black holes. We extrapolate the location of this phase transition, and compute the expectation value of the broken scalar operator with lowest conformal dimension. Via the correspondence, these results offer quantitative predictions for N=4 SYM theory.

  4. Added value of multiphase CTA imaging for thrombus perviousness assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, E.M.M. [Academic Medical Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Medical Informatics, Rotterdam (Netherlands); D' Esterre, C.D.; Najm, M.; Goyal, M.; Demchuk, A.M.; Menon, B.K. [University of Calgary, Departments of Neurosciences, Radiology and Community Health Sciences, Calgary (Canada); Treurniet, K.M.; Majoie, C.B. [Academic Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Niessen, W.J. [Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Medical Informatics, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft (Netherlands); Marquering, H.A. [Academic Medical Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Academic Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Mandzia, Jennifer; Fainardi, Enrico; Rubiera, Marta; Khaw, Alexander V.; Zini, Andrea; Shankar, JJ.; Collaboration: PRove-IT investigators

    2018-01-15

    Thrombus perviousness has been associated with favorable functional outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Measuring thrombus perviousness on CTA may be suboptimal due to potential delay in contrast agent arrival in occluded arteries at the moment of imaging. Dynamic sequences acquired over time can potentially overcome this issue. We investigate if dynamic CTA has added value in assessing thrombus perviousness. Prospectively collected image data of AIS patients with proven occlusion of the anterior or posterior circulation with thin-slice multi-phase CTA (MCTA) and non-contrast CT were co-registered (n = 221). Thrombus attenuation increase (TAI; a perviousness measure) was measured for the arterial, venous, and delayed phase of the MCTA and time-invariant CTAs (TiCTA). Associations with favorable clinical outcome (90-day mRS ≤ 2) were assessed using univariate and multivariable regressions and calculating areas under receiver operating curves (AUC). TAI determined from the arterial phase CTA was superior in the association with favorable outcome with OR = 1.21 per 10 HU increase (95%CI 1.04-1.41, AUC 0.62, p = 0.014) compared to any other phase (venous 1.14(95%CI 1.01-1.30, AUC 0.58, p = 0.033), delayed 1.046(95%CI 0.919-1.19, AUC 0.53, p = 0.50)), and TiCTA 1.15(95%CI 1.02-1.30, AUC 0.60, p = 0.022). In the multivariable model, only TAI on arterial phase was significantly associated with favorable outcome (aOR 1.59, 95%CI 1.04-2.43, p = 0.032). Association between TAI with functional outcome was optimal on arterial-phase CTA such that dynamic CTA imaging has no additional benefits in current thrombus perviousness assessment, thereby suggesting that the delay of contrast arrival at the clot is a key variable for patient functional outcome. (orig.)

  5. The value of whole-brain CT perfusion imaging and CT angiography using a 320-slice CT scanner in the diagnosis of MCI and AD patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Bo; Gu, Guo-jun; Jiang, Hong; Guo, Yi [Medical School of Tongji University, Department of Medical Imaging, Tongji Hospital, Shanghai (China); Shen, Xing [Traditional Chinese Hospital, Department of Radiology, Kun Shan, Jiangsu Province (China); Li, Bo; Zhang, Wei [Medical School of Jiaotong University, Department of Medical Imaging, Renji Hospital, Shanghai (China)

    2017-11-15

    To validate the value of whole-brain computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and CT angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whole-brain CTP and four-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA) images were acquired in 30 MCI, 35 mild AD patients, 35 moderate AD patients, 30 severe AD patients and 50 normal controls (NC). Cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), and correlation between CTP and 4D-CTA were analysed. Elevated CBF in the left frontal and temporal cortex was found in MCI compared with the NC group. However, TTP was increased in the left hippocampus in mild AD patients compared with NC. In moderate and severe AD patients, hypoperfusion was found in multiple brain areas compared with NC. Finally, we found that the extent of arterial stenosis was negatively correlated with CBF in partial cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and positively correlated with TTP in these areas of AD and MCI patients. Our findings suggest that whole-brain CTP and 4D-CTA could serve as a diagnostic modality in distinguishing MCI and AD, and predicting conversion from MCI based on TTP of left hippocampus. (orig.)

  6. The value of whole-brain CT perfusion imaging and CT angiography using a 320-slice CT scanner in the diagnosis of MCI and AD patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Bo; Gu, Guo-jun; Jiang, Hong; Guo, Yi; Shen, Xing; Li, Bo; Zhang, Wei

    2017-01-01

    To validate the value of whole-brain computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and CT angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whole-brain CTP and four-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA) images were acquired in 30 MCI, 35 mild AD patients, 35 moderate AD patients, 30 severe AD patients and 50 normal controls (NC). Cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), and correlation between CTP and 4D-CTA were analysed. Elevated CBF in the left frontal and temporal cortex was found in MCI compared with the NC group. However, TTP was increased in the left hippocampus in mild AD patients compared with NC. In moderate and severe AD patients, hypoperfusion was found in multiple brain areas compared with NC. Finally, we found that the extent of arterial stenosis was negatively correlated with CBF in partial cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and positively correlated with TTP in these areas of AD and MCI patients. Our findings suggest that whole-brain CTP and 4D-CTA could serve as a diagnostic modality in distinguishing MCI and AD, and predicting conversion from MCI based on TTP of left hippocampus. (orig.)

  7. Pengaruh Pengungkapan Intellectual Capital (IC dan Economic Value Added (EVA terhadap Harga Saham Perusahaan Manufaktur yang terdaftar di BEI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Achmad Fauzi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at finding out if The Influence of Intellectual Capital (ICand Economic Value Added (EVA on Stock Price of Manufacturing Companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI in 2012. The hypothesis of this study is : There is Influence of Intellectual Capital (IC and Economic Value Added (EVA on Stock Price of Manufacturing Company listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI in 2012. The method used is the author of the survey method with a quantitative approach . This study population is the entire manufacturing companies listed on the Stock Exchange in 2012 his sampling technique is random sampling as many as 36 samples .. Correlation Coefficient significance test ( Test A of 0.512 , indicating that there is a middle relationship between IC and EVA on Stock Price. The results of the coefficient of determination ( R2 Test stated that R2 is 0.262 or 26.2% . This shows that the percentage contribution of the effect of independent variables ( IC and EVA on the dependent variable ( stock price of 26.2 % . Or variations of the independent variables used in the model ( IC and EVA are able to explain 26.2% of variation in the dependent variable ( stock price . While the remaining 73.8 % are influenced or explained by other variables not included in this research model .

  8. Power station fly ash. A review of value-added utilization outside of the construction industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iyer, R.S.; Scott, J.A.

    2001-01-01

    The disposal of fly ash from coal-fired power stations causes significant economic and environmental problems. A relatively small percentage of the material finds application as an ingredient in cement and other construction products, but the vast majority of material generated each year is held in ash dams or similar dumps. This unproductive use of land and the associated long-term financial burden of maintenance has led to realization that alternative uses for fly ash as a value-added product beyond incorporation in construction materials are needed. Utilization of fly ash in such areas as novel materials, waste management, recovery of metals and agriculture is reviewed in this article with the aim of looking at new areas that will expand the positive reuse of fly ash, thereby helping to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of disposal

  9. Hairy AdS solitons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anabalón, Andrés; Astefanesei, Dumitru; Choque, David

    2016-01-01

    We construct exact hairy AdS soliton solutions in Einstein-dilaton gravity theory. We examine their thermodynamic properties and discuss the role of these solutions for the existence of first order phase transitions for hairy black holes. The negative energy density associated to hairy AdS solitons can be interpreted as the Casimir energy that is generated in the dual filed theory when the fermions are antiperiodic on the compact coordinate.

  10. Hairy AdS solitons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anabalón, Andrés, E-mail: andres.anabalon@uai.cl [Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales and Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Av. Padre Hurtado 750, Viña del Mar (Chile); Astefanesei, Dumitru, E-mail: dumitru.astefanesei@pucv.cl [Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso (Chile); Choque, David, E-mail: brst1010123@gmail.com [Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso (Chile); Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Valparaíso (Chile)

    2016-11-10

    We construct exact hairy AdS soliton solutions in Einstein-dilaton gravity theory. We examine their thermodynamic properties and discuss the role of these solutions for the existence of first order phase transitions for hairy black holes. The negative energy density associated to hairy AdS solitons can be interpreted as the Casimir energy that is generated in the dual filed theory when the fermions are antiperiodic on the compact coordinate.

  11. On the assessment of the added value of new predictive biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Weijie; Samuelson, Frank W; Gallas, Brandon D; Kang, Le; Sahiner, Berkman; Petrick, Nicholas

    2013-07-29

    The surge in biomarker development calls for research on statistical evaluation methodology to rigorously assess emerging biomarkers and classification models. Recently, several authors reported the puzzling observation that, in assessing the added value of new biomarkers to existing ones in a logistic regression model, statistical significance of new predictor variables does not necessarily translate into a statistically significant increase in the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Vickers et al. concluded that this inconsistency is because AUC "has vastly inferior statistical properties," i.e., it is extremely conservative. This statement is based on simulations that misuse the DeLong et al. method. Our purpose is to provide a fair comparison of the likelihood ratio (LR) test and the Wald test versus diagnostic accuracy (AUC) tests. We present a test to compare ideal AUCs of nested linear discriminant functions via an F test. We compare it with the LR test and the Wald test for the logistic regression model. The null hypotheses of these three tests are equivalent; however, the F test is an exact test whereas the LR test and the Wald test are asymptotic tests. Our simulation shows that the F test has the nominal type I error even with a small sample size. Our results also indicate that the LR test and the Wald test have inflated type I errors when the sample size is small, while the type I error converges to the nominal value asymptotically with increasing sample size as expected. We further show that the DeLong et al. method tests a different hypothesis and has the nominal type I error when it is used within its designed scope. Finally, we summarize the pros and cons of all four methods we consider in this paper. We show that there is nothing inherently less powerful or disagreeable about ROC analysis for showing the usefulness of new biomarkers or characterizing the performance of classification models. Each statistical method for assessing biomarkers and

  12. Added value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of pancreatic fluid collection infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borens, Bruno [Polyclinique Santa Maria, Nice (France); Arvanitakis, Marianna; Eisendrath, Pierre; Toussaint, Emmanuel; Deviere, Jacques [Erasme Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Brussels (Belgium); Absil, Julie; Matos, Celso; Bali, Maria Antonietta [Erasme Hospital, Department of Radiology, Brussels (Belgium); El Bouchaibi, Said [Epicura, Ath (Belgium)

    2017-03-15

    To investigate the added value of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the detection of infection in pancreatic fluid collections (PFC). Forty-patients with PFC requiring endoscopic-transmural drainage underwent conventional-MR and DW-MR imaging (b = 1000 s/mm{sup 2}) before endoscopy. MR images were divided into two sets (set1, conventional-MR; set2, conventional-MR, DW-MR and ADC maps) and randomized. Two independent readers performed qualitative and quantitative (apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC) image analysis. Bacteriological analysis of PFC content was the gold standard. Non-parametric tests were used for comparisons. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV) and accuracy were calculated for the two sets for both readers. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were drawn to assess quantitative DW-MR imaging diagnostic performance. For both readers, sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV and accuracy for infected PFCs were higher for set2 (P >.05). ADC were lower in infected versus non-infected PFCs (P ≤.031). Minimum ADC cut-off: 1,090 x 10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s for reader 1 and 1,012 x 10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s for reader 2 (sensitivity and specificity 67 % and 96 % for both readers). Qualitative information provided by DW-MR may help to assess PFCs infection. Infected PFCs show significantly lower ADCs compared to non-infected ones. (orig.)

  13. Added value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of pancreatic fluid collection infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borens, Bruno; Arvanitakis, Marianna; Eisendrath, Pierre; Toussaint, Emmanuel; Deviere, Jacques; Absil, Julie; Matos, Celso; Bali, Maria Antonietta; El Bouchaibi, Said

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the added value of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the detection of infection in pancreatic fluid collections (PFC). Forty-patients with PFC requiring endoscopic-transmural drainage underwent conventional-MR and DW-MR imaging (b = 1000 s/mm"2) before endoscopy. MR images were divided into two sets (set1, conventional-MR; set2, conventional-MR, DW-MR and ADC maps) and randomized. Two independent readers performed qualitative and quantitative (apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC) image analysis. Bacteriological analysis of PFC content was the gold standard. Non-parametric tests were used for comparisons. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV) and accuracy were calculated for the two sets for both readers. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were drawn to assess quantitative DW-MR imaging diagnostic performance. For both readers, sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV and accuracy for infected PFCs were higher for set2 (P >.05). ADC were lower in infected versus non-infected PFCs (P ≤.031). Minimum ADC cut-off: 1,090 x 10"-"3 mm"2/s for reader 1 and 1,012 x 10"-"3 mm"2/s for reader 2 (sensitivity and specificity 67 % and 96 % for both readers). Qualitative information provided by DW-MR may help to assess PFCs infection. Infected PFCs show significantly lower ADCs compared to non-infected ones. (orig.)

  14. AdS solutions through transgression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donos, Aristomenis; Gauntlett, Jerome P.; Kim, Nakwoo

    2008-01-01

    We present new classes of explicit supersymmetric AdS 3 solutions of type IIB supergravity with non-vanishing five-form flux and AdS 2 solutions of D = 11 supergravity with electric four-form flux. The former are dual to two-dimensional SCFTs with (0,2) supersymmetry and the latter to supersymmetric quantum mechanics with two supercharges. We also investigate more general classes of AdS 3 solutions of type IIB supergravity and AdS 2 solutions of D = 11 supergravity which in addition have non-vanishing three-form flux and magnetic four-form flux, respectively. The construction of these more general solutions makes essential use of the Chern-Simons or 'transgression' terms in the Bianchi identity or the equation of motion of the field strengths in the supergravity theories. We construct infinite new classes of explicit examples and for some of the type IIB solutions determine the central charge of the dual SCFTs. The type IIB solutions with non-vanishing three-form flux that we construct include a two-torus, and after two T-dualities and an S-duality, we obtain new AdS 3 solutions with only the NS fields being non-trivial.

  15. Added value of shear-wave elastography for evaluation of breast masses detected with screening US imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Su Hyun; Chang, Jung Min; Kim, Won Hwa; Bae, Min Sun; Seo, Mirinae; Koo, Hye Ryoung; Chu, A Jung; Gweon, Hye Mi; Cho, Nariya; Moon, Woo Kyung

    2014-10-01

    To evaluate the additional value of shear-wave elastography (SWE) to B-mode ultrasonography (US) and to determine an appropriate guideline for the combined assessment of screening US-detected breast masses. This study was conducted with institutional review board approval, and written informed consent was obtained. From March 2010 to February 2012, B-mode US and SWE were performed in 159 US-detected breast masses before biopsy. For each lesion, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category on B-mode US images and the maximum stiffness color and elasticity values on SWE images were assessed. A guideline for adding SWE data to B-mode US was developed with the retrospective cohort to improve diagnostic performance in sensitivity and specificity and was validated in a distinct prospective cohort of 207 women prior to biopsy. Twenty-one of 159 masses in the development cohort and 12 of 207 breast masses in the validation cohort were malignant. In the development cohort, when BI-RADS category 4a masses showing a dark blue color or a maximum elasticity value of 30 kPa or less on SWE images were downgraded to category 3, specificity increased from 9.4% (13 of 138) to 59.4% (82 of 138) and 57.2% (79 of 138) (P breast masses. BI-RADS category 4a masses detected at US screening that showed a dark blue color or a maximum elasticity value of 30 kPa or less on SWE images can be safely followed up instead of performing biopsy. © RSNA, 2014.

  16. The added value of tomosynthesis in endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with radiography for the detection of choledocholithiasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suyama, Yohsuke; Yamada, Yoshitake; Yamaguchi, Hideki; Someya, Gou; Otsuka, Seiji; Murayama, Yoshitami; Shinmoto, Hiroshi; Jinzaki, Masahiro; Ogawa, Kenji

    2018-04-16

    The diagnostic performance of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) with radiography is imperfect. We assessed the value of adding tomosynthesis to ERC with radiography for the detection of choledocholithiasis. This study included 102 consecutive patients (choledocholithiasis/non-choledocholithiasis, n = 57/45), who underwent both radiography and tomosynthesis for ERC in the same examination and were not diagnosed with malignancy. The reference standard for the existence of choledocholithiasis was confirmed by endoscopic stone extraction during ERC, intraoperative cholangiography, or follow up with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (n = 78, 11, and 13, respectively). A gastroenterologist and a radiologist independently evaluated the radiographs and the combination of tomosynthesis and radiographic images in a blinded and randomised manner. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used for statistical analysis. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for combined tomosynthesis and radiography were significantly higher than those for radiography alone for both readers: Reader 1/Reader 2, 0.929/0.956 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.861-0.965/0.890-0.983) vs 0.803/0.769 (95% confidence interval, 0.707-0.873/0.668-0.846), respectively (p = 0.0047/tomosynthesis to radiography improved the diagnostic performance of ERC for detection of choledocholithiasis. Advances in knowledge: Adding tomosynthesis to radiography improves detection of choledocholithiasis and tomosynthesis images can be obtained easily after radiographs and repeated immediately.

  17. NIR techniques create added values for the pellet and biofuel industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lestander, Torbjörn A; Johnsson, Bo; Grothage, Morgan

    2009-02-01

    A 2(3)-factorial experiment was carried out in an industrial plant producing biofuel pellets with sawdust as feedstock. The aim was to use on-line near infrared (NIR) spectra from sawdust for real time predictions of moisture content, blends of sawdust and energy consumption of the pellet press. The factors varied were: drying temperature and wood powder dryness in binary blends of sawdust from Norway spruce and Scots pine. The main results were excellent NIR calibration models for on-line prediction of moisture content and binary blends of sawdust from the two species, but also for the novel finding that the consumption of electrical energy per unit pelletized biomass can be predicted by NIR reflectance spectra from sawdust entering the pellet press. This power consumption model, explaining 91.0% of the variation, indicated that NIR data contained information of the compression and friction properties of the biomass feedstock. The moisture content model was validated using a running NIR calibration model in the pellet plant. It is shown that the adjusted prediction error was 0.41% moisture content for grinded sawdust dried to ca. 6-12% moisture content. Further, although used drying temperatures influenced NIR spectra the models for drying temperature resulted in low prediction accuracy. The results show that on-line NIR can be used as an important tool in the monitoring and control of the pelletizing process and that the use of NIR technique in fuel pellet production has possibilities to better meet customer specifications, and therefore create added production values.

  18. Added value of second biopsy target in screen-detected widespread suspicious breast calcifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falkner, Nathalie M; Hince, Dana; Porter, Gareth; Dessauvagie, Ben; Jeganathan, Sanjay; Bulsara, Max; Lo, Glen

    2018-06-01

    There is controversy on the optimal work-up of screen-detected widespread breast calcifications: whether to biopsy a single target or multiple targets. This study evaluates agreement between multiple biopsy targets within the same screen-detected widespread (≥25 mm) breast calcification to determine if the second biopsy adds value. Retrospective observational study of women screened in a statewide general population risk breast cancer mammographic screening program from 2009 to 2016. Screening episodes recalled for widespread calcifications where further views indicated biopsy, and two or more separate target areas were sampled within the same lesion were included. Percentage agreement and Cohen's Kappa were calculated. A total of 293317 women were screened during 761124 separate episodes with recalls for widespread calcifications in 2355 episodes. In 171 women, a second target was biopsied within the same lesion. In 149 (86%) cases, the second target biopsy result agreed with the first biopsy (κ = 0.6768). Agreement increased with increasing mammography score (85%, 86% and 92% for score 3, 4 and 5 lesions). Same day multiple biopsied lesions were three times more likely to yield concordant results compared to post-hoc second target biopsy cases. While a single target biopsy is sufficient to discriminate a benign vs. malignant diagnosis in most cases, in 14% there is added value in performing a second target biopsy. Biopsies performed prospectively are more likely to yield concordant results compared to post-hoc second target biopsy cases, suggesting a single prospective biopsy may be sufficient when results are radiological-pathological concordant; discordance still requires repeat sampling. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

  19. From free fields to AdS space: Thermal case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furuuchi, Kazuyuki

    2005-01-01

    We analyze the reorganization of free field theory correlators to closed string amplitudes investigated in previous papers in the case of Euclidean thermal field theory and study how the dual bulk geometry is encoded on them. The expectation value of Polyakov loop, which is an order parameter for confinement-deconfinement transition, is directly reflected on the dual bulk geometry. The dual geometry of the confined phase is found to be AdS space periodically identified in Euclidean time direction. The gluing of Schwinger parameters, which is a key step for the reorganization of field theory correlators, works in the same way as in the nonthermal case. In the deconfined phase the gluing is made possible only by taking the dual geometry correctly. The dual geometry for the deconfined phase does not have a noncontractable circle in the Euclidean time direction

  20. O impacto de indicadores socioambientais no valor adcionado por empresas = The impact of socialenvironmental indicators on the value added by companies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Moreira Campos

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo explicar o impacto no valor adicionado pelas empresas brasileiras que publicaram o Balanço Social (modelo IBASE, no período de 2004 a 2006, dos seguintes indicadores socioambientais: número de empregados, indicadores sociais internos, investimentos em meio ambiente e incentivo remuneratório dos empregados atuantes nas empresas constantes da amostra. No referencial teórico, são abordados aspectos relativos ao Balanço Social, à Demonstração do Valor Adicionado e ao Valor Adicionado. O estudo é composto de pesquisa bibliográfica em obras nacionais e internacionais, que tratam do tema, e de pesquisa documental baseada em uma amostra de 66 empresas que publicaram o relatório no período de 2004 a 2006, sendo utilizada a técnica de regressão com dados em painel (balanceado. Os achados revelam que, dentre os três tipos de painel, após a realização de testes, o de efeitos fixos foi considerado o mais bem indicado para a análise, e que a variação no valor adicionado pelas empresas da amostra é explicada pelo número de empregados, pelos indicadores sociais internos, e pelo incentivo remuneratório dos empregados atuantes nas empresas, contudo, não é explicada pelos investimentos em meio ambiente efetuados pelas empresas pesquisadas no período de 2004 a 2006.This research aims at explaining the impact of the value added by Brazilian companies which published the Social Balance (IBASE model from 2004 to 2006 of the following sustainability indicators: number of employees, internal social indicators, investments on the environment and remunerative incentive of the working employees in the companies which were presented in the display. In the theoretical referential aspects related to the Social Balance are approached as well as the Demonstration of the Value Added and to the Value Added. The study is made of the bibliographic research on national and international works which deal with the theme and

  1. Simultaneous production of bioethanol and value-added d-psicose from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) tubers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Younho; Oh, Chihoon; Bae, Hyeun-Jong

    2017-11-01

    In this study, the production of bioethanol and value added d-psicose from Jerusalem artichoke (JA) was attempted by an enzymatic method. An enzyme mixture used for hydrolysis of 100mgmL -1 JA. The resulting concentrations of released d-fructose and d-glucose were measured at approximately 56mgmL -1 and 15mgmL -1 , respectively. The d-psicose was epimerized from the JA hydrolyzate, and the conversion rate was calculated to be 32.1%. The residual fructose was further converted into ethanol at 18.0gL -1 and the yield was approximately 72%. Bioethanol and d-psicose were separated by pervaporation. This is the first study to report simultaneous d-psicose production and bioethanol fermentation from JA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. XSEDE Value Added, Cost Avoidance, and Return on Investment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stewart, Craig A [Indiana University; Roskies, Ralph [Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center; Knepper, Richard [Indiana University; Whitt, Justin L [ORNL; Moore, Richard L [San Diego Supercomputer Center; Cockerill, Timothy [Texas Advanced Computing Center

    2015-01-01

    It is difficult for large research facilities to quantify a return on the investments that fund their operations. This is because there can be a time lag of years or decades between an innovation or discovery and the realization of its value through practical application. This report presents a three-part methodology that attempts to assess the value of federal investment in XSEDE: 1) a qualitative examination of the areas where XSEDE adds value to the activities of the open research community, 2) a thought model examining the cost avoidance realized by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the centralization and coordination XSEDE provides, and 3) an assessment of the value XSEDE provides to Service Providers in the XD ecosystem. XSEDE adds significantly to the US research community because it functions as a unified interface to the XD ecosystem and because of its scale. A partly quantitative, partly qualitative analysis suggests the Return on Investment of NSF spending on XSEDE is greater than 1.0. indicating that the aggregate value received by the nation from XSEDE is greater than the cost of direct federal investment in XSEDE.

  3. Lipid and fatty acid metabolism in Ralstonia eutropha: relevance for the biotechnological production of value-added products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riedel, Sebastian L; Lu, Jingnan; Stahl, Ulf; Brigham, Christopher J

    2014-02-01

    Lipid and fatty acid metabolism has been well studied in model microbial organisms like Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The major precursor of fatty acid biosynthesis is also the major product of fatty acid degradation (β-oxidation), acetyl-CoA, which is a key metabolite for all organisms. Controlling carbon flux to fatty acid biosynthesis and from β-oxidation allows for the biosynthesis of natural products of biotechnological importance. Ralstonia eutropha can utilize acetyl-CoA from fatty acid metabolism to produce intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). R. eutropha can also be engineered to utilize fatty acid metabolism intermediates to produce different PHA precursors. Metabolism of lipids and fatty acids can be rerouted to convert carbon into other value-added compounds like biofuels. This review discusses the lipid and fatty acid metabolic pathways in R. eutropha and how they can be used to construct reagents for the biosynthesis of products of industrial importance. Specifically, how the use of lipids or fatty acids as the sole carbon source in R. eutropha cultures adds value to these biotechnological products will be discussed here.

  4. Strings on AdS2 and the high-energy limit of noncritical M-theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horava, Petr; Horava, Petr; Keeler, Cynthia A.

    2007-01-01

    Noncritical M-theory in 2+1 dimensions has been defined as a double-scaling limit of a nonrelativistic Fermi liquid on a flat two-dimensional plane. Here we study this noncritical M-theory in the limit of high energies, analogous to the alpha(prime) → ∞ limit of string theory. In the related case of two-dimensional Type 0A strings, it has been argued that the conformal alpha(prime) → ∞ limit leads to AdS 2 with a propagating fermion whose mass is set by the value of the RR flux. Here we provide evidence that in the high-energy limit, the natural ground state of noncritical M-theory similarly describes the AdS 2 x S 1 spacetime, with a massless propagating fermion. We argue that the spacetime effective theory in this background is captured by a topological higher-spin extension of conformal Chern-Simons gravity in 2+1 dimensions, consistently coupled to a massless Dirac field. Intriguingly, the two-dimensional plane populated by the original nonrelativistic fermions is essentially the twistor space associated with the symmetry group of the AdS 2 x S 1 spacetime; thus, at least in the high-energy limit, noncritical M-theory can be nonperturbatively described as a 'Fermi liquid on twistor space'

  5. Hawking radiation from AdS black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hubeny, Veronika E; Rangamani, Mukund; Marolf, Donald

    2010-01-01

    We study Hartle-Hawking-like states of quantum field theories on asymptotically AdS black hole backgrounds, with particular regard to the phase structure of interacting theories. By a suitable analytic continuation we show that the equilibrium dynamics of field theories on large asymptotically AdS black holes can be related to the low-temperature states of the same field theory on the AdS soliton (or pure AdS) background. This allows us to gain insight into Hartle-Hawking-like states on large-radius Schwarzschild- or rotating-AdS black holes. Furthermore, we exploit the AdS/CFT correspondence to explore the physics of strongly coupled large N theories on asymptotically AdS black holes. In particular, we exhibit a plausibly complete set of phases for the M2-brane world-volume superconformal field theory on a BTZ black hole background. Our analysis partially resolves puzzles previously raised in connection with Hawking radiation on large AdS black holes.

  6. Polarised Black Holes in AdS

    CERN Document Server

    Costa, Miguel S.; Oliveira, Miguel; Penedones, João; Santos, Jorge E.

    2016-05-03

    We consider solutions in Einstein-Maxwell theory with a negative cosmological constant that asymptote to global $AdS_{4}$ with conformal boundary $S^{2}\\times\\mathbb{R}_{t}$. At the sphere at infinity we turn on a space-dependent electrostatic potential, which does not destroy the asymptotic $AdS$ behaviour. For simplicity we focus on the case of a dipolar electrostatic potential. We find two new geometries: (i) an $AdS$ soliton that includes the full backreaction of the electric field on the $AdS$ geometry; (ii) a polarised neutral black hole that is deformed by the electric field, accumulating opposite charges in each hemisphere. For both geometries we study boundary data such as the charge density and the stress tensor. For the black hole we also study the horizon charge density and area, and further verify a Smarr formula. Then we consider this system at finite temperature and compute the Gibbs free energy for both $AdS$ soliton and black hole phases. The corresponding phase diagram generalizes the Hawkin...

  7. Tracing Public Values Change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beck Jørgensen, Torben; Rutgers, Mark R.

    2014-01-01

    Long term changes in public values are not easily detected. One important reason is the limited availability of reliable empirical data. Job advertisements allow us to go back in history for some decades and job ads may present us with the values that are supposed to guide civil servant behaviour...... in several directions; b) job ads develop into platforms for organizational branding with an emphasis on HR-related values although national logos enter the scene (the Danish royal crown, the Dutch national emblem); c) New Public Management values do not crowd out other values, rather value intensity...

  8. Bacillus aryabhattai BA03: a novel approach to the production of natural value-added compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paz, Alicia; Carballo, Julia; Pérez, María José; Domínguez, José Manuel

    2016-10-01

    A strain designated as BA03, with the ability to transform ferulic acid into vanillin and 4-vinylguaiacol, was isolated from contaminated cryovials. The production of natural value-added compounds was dependent on the media employed. The morphological and physiological characteristics of this strain were compared with those of the typical vanillin-producer strain Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116. According to a partial 16S rRNA sequence, we determined that BA03 belonged to Bacillus aryabhattai. In addition, analysis of the results showed that this strain exhibited interesting enzymatic activity, including cellulases, laccases, lipases and pectinases. In light of this, we propose new functions for this multitasking microorganism. We suggest that it may be used for converting lignocellulosic wastes into byproducts with industrial uses, and also for treating disposal residues such as dyes in the textile industry. Hence, the possibility for novel research with B. aryabhattai opens up in the fields of biodegradation and/or revalorization of wastes.

  9. Shell cracking strength in almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A. Webb.) and its implication in uses as a value-added product.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ledbetter, C A

    2008-09-01

    Researchers are currently developing new value-added uses for almond shells, an abundant agricultural by-product. Almond varieties are distinguished by processors as being either hard or soft shelled, but these two broad classes of almond also exhibit varietal diversity in shell morphology and physical characters. By defining more precisely the physical and chemical characteristics of almond shells from different varieties, researchers will better understand which specific shell types are best suited for specific industrial processes. Eight diverse almond accessions were evaluated in two consecutive harvest seasons for nut and kernel weight, kernel percentage and shell cracking strength. Shell bulk density was evaluated in a separate year. Harvest year by almond accession interactions were highly significant (p0.01) for each of the analyzed variables. Significant (p0.01) correlations were noted for average nut weight with kernel weight, kernel percentage and shell cracking strength. A significant (p0.01) negative correlation for shell cracking strength with kernel percentage was noted. In some cases shell cracking strength was independent of the kernel percentage which suggests that either variety compositional differences or shell morphology affect the shell cracking strength. The varietal characterization of almond shell materials will assist in determining the best value-added uses for this abundant agricultural by-product.

  10. A systematic methodology to estimate added sugar content of foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louie, J C Y; Moshtaghian, H; Boylan, S; Flood, V M; Rangan, A M; Barclay, A W; Brand-Miller, J C; Gill, T P

    2015-02-01

    The effect of added sugar on health is a topical area of research. However, there is currently no analytical or other method to easily distinguish between added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in foods. This study aimed to develop a systematic methodology to estimate added sugar values on the basis of analytical data and ingredients of foods. A 10-step, stepwise protocol was developed, starting with objective measures (six steps) and followed by more subjective estimation (four steps) if insufficient objective data are available. The method developed was applied to an Australian food composition database (AUSNUT2007) as an example. Out of the 3874 foods available in AUSNUT2007, 2977 foods (77%) were assigned an estimated value on the basis of objective measures (steps 1-6), and 897 (23%) were assigned a subjectively estimated value (steps 7-10). Repeatability analysis showed good repeatability for estimated values in this method. We propose that this method can be considered as a standardised approach for the estimation of added sugar content of foods to improve cross-study comparison.

  11. Value-added Synthesis of Graphene: Recycling Industrial Carbon Waste into Electrodes for High-Performance Electronic Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Hong-Kyu; Kim, Tae-Sik; Park, Chibeom; Xu, Wentao; Baek, Kangkyun; Bae, Sang-Hoon; Ahn, Jong-Hyun; Kim, Kimoon; Choi, Hee Cheul; Lee, Tae-Woo

    2015-11-16

    We have developed a simple, scalable, transfer-free, ecologically sustainable, value-added method to convert inexpensive coal tar pitch to patterned graphene films directly on device substrates. The method, which does not require an additional transfer process, enables direct growth of graphene films on device substrates in large area. To demonstrate the practical applications of the graphene films, we used the patterned graphene grown on a dielectric substrate directly as electrodes of bottom-contact pentacene field-effect transistors (max. field effect mobility ~0.36 cm(2)·V(-1)·s(-1)), without using any physical transfer process. This use of a chemical waste product as a solid carbon source instead of commonly used explosive hydrocarbon gas sources for graphene synthesis has the dual benefits of converting the waste to a valuable product, and reducing pollution.

  12. Value-added Synthesis of Graphene: Recycling Industrial Carbon Waste into Electrodes for High-Performance Electronic Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Hong-Kyu; Kim, Tae-Sik; Park, Chibeom; Xu, Wentao; Baek, Kangkyun; Bae, Sang-Hoon; Ahn, Jong-Hyun; Kim, Kimoon; Choi, Hee Cheul; Lee, Tae-Woo

    2015-11-01

    We have developed a simple, scalable, transfer-free, ecologically sustainable, value-added method to convert inexpensive coal tar pitch to patterned graphene films directly on device substrates. The method, which does not require an additional transfer process, enables direct growth of graphene films on device substrates in large area. To demonstrate the practical applications of the graphene films, we used the patterned graphene grown on a dielectric substrate directly as electrodes of bottom-contact pentacene field-effect transistors (max. field effect mobility ~0.36 cm2·V-1·s-1), without using any physical transfer process. This use of a chemical waste product as a solid carbon source instead of commonly used explosive hydrocarbon gas sources for graphene synthesis has the dual benefits of converting the waste to a valuable product, and reducing pollution.

  13. Value-added Synthesis of Graphene: Recycling Industrial Carbon Waste into Electrodes for High-Performance Electronic Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Hong-Kyu; Kim, Tae-Sik; Park, Chibeom; Xu, Wentao; Baek, Kangkyun; Bae, Sang-Hoon; Ahn, Jong-Hyun; Kim, Kimoon; Choi, Hee Cheul; Lee, Tae-Woo

    2015-01-01

    We have developed a simple, scalable, transfer-free, ecologically sustainable, value-added method to convert inexpensive coal tar pitch to patterned graphene films directly on device substrates. The method, which does not require an additional transfer process, enables direct growth of graphene films on device substrates in large area. To demonstrate the practical applications of the graphene films, we used the patterned graphene grown on a dielectric substrate directly as electrodes of bottom-contact pentacene field-effect transistors (max. field effect mobility ~0.36 cm2·V−1·s−1), without using any physical transfer process. This use of a chemical waste product as a solid carbon source instead of commonly used explosive hydrocarbon gas sources for graphene synthesis has the dual benefits of converting the waste to a valuable product, and reducing pollution. PMID:26567845

  14. Software Configuration Management: A Discipline with Added Value

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Butler, Tresa; Standley, Verla; Sullivan, Elaine; Turner, Faith

    2001-01-01

    .... The focus of this article is to discuss how SCM adds value to the Ogden Air Logistics Center by establishing and maintaining continuity of the engineering workflow and providing information to help...

  15. 建筑业营改增后的挑战及对策%Challenges and Countermeasures of the Construction Industry after replacing the Business Tax with a Value-added Tax

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    张辰旭

    2017-01-01

    2016年3月24日,国家税务总局颁布了《关于全面推开营业税改征增值税试点的通知》(财税〔2016〕36号),决定从2016年5月1日起,将金融业、建筑业、房地产业、生活服务业由营业税改征增值税.建筑业作为我国支柱产业,由于建筑工程项目分布范围广,分支机构多,管理链条长等原因,使企业在进行营改增工作时面临增值税管理与税务筹划的双重挑战.根据建筑行业营改增后的政策,从会计核算,税务筹划,经营管理等方面提出解决方案,期望为促进营改增平稳过渡提供一些借鉴.%In March 24, 2016, the State Administration of Taxation issued the "notice on the full implementation of business tax VAT pilot" , from May 1, 2016, the financial industry, construction industry and real estate industry, life service industry replace the business tax with a value-added tax.As a pillar industry in our country, the wide range of construction projects, many branches, managing complex and other factors make the enterprises to face the double challenges of value added tax management and tax planning in the course of the Change from Business Tax to Value-Added Tax.According to the construction industry policy of the Change from Business Tax to Value-Added Tax, from accounting, tax planning, management put forward solutions, hoping to promote the smooth transition of the Change from Business Tax to Value-Added Tax to provide some reference.

  16. Recent advances in the production of value added chemicals and lipids utilizing biodiesel industry generated crude glycerol as a substrate - Metabolic aspects, challenges and possibilities: An overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivek, Narisetty; Sindhu, Raveendran; Madhavan, Aravind; Anju, Alphonsa Jose; Castro, Eulogio; Faraco, Vincenza; Pandey, Ashok; Binod, Parameswaran

    2017-09-01

    One of the major ecological concerns associated with biodiesel production is the generation of waste/crude glycerol during the trans-esterification process. Purification of this crude glycerol is not economically viable. In this context, the development of an efficient and economically viable strategy would be biotransformation reactions converting the biodiesel derived crude glycerol into value added chemicals. Hence the process ensures the sustainability and waste management in biodiesel industry, paving a path to integrated biorefineries. This review addresses a waste to wealth approach for utilization of crude glycerol in the production of value added chemicals, current trends, challenges, future perspectives, metabolic approaches and the genetic tools developed for the improved synthesis over wild type microorganisms were described. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The added value of a water footprint approach: Micro- and macroeconomic analysis of cotton production, processing and export in water bound Uzbekistan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudenko, I.; Bekchanov, M.; Djanibekov, U.; Lamers, J. P. A.

    2013-11-01

    Since independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan is challenged to consolidate its efforts and identify and introduce suitable agricultural policies to ease the threat of advancing land, water and ecosystem deterioration. On the one hand, irrigated cotton production provides income, food and energy sources for a large part of the rural households, which accounts for about 70% of the total population. On the other hand, this sector is considered a major driver of the on-going environmental degradation. Due to this dual nature, an integrated approach is needed that allows the analyses of the cotton sector at different stages and, consequently, deriving comprehensive options for action. The findings of the economic based value chain analysis and ecologically-oriented water footprint analysis on regional level were complemented with the findings of an input-output model on national level. This combination gave an added value for better-informed decision-making to reach land, water and ecosystem sustainability, compared to the individual results of each approach. The synergy of approaches pointed at various options for actions, such as to (i) promote the shift of water use from the high water consuming agricultural sector to a less water consuming cotton processing sector, (ii) increase overall water use efficiency by expanding the highly water productive industrial sectors and concurrently decreasing sectors with inefficient water use, and (iii) reduce agricultural water use by improving irrigation and conveyance efficiencies. The findings showed that increasing water use efficiency, manufacturing products with higher value added and raising water users' awareness of the real value of water are essential for providing water security in Uzbekistan.

  18. Particle collisions near a three-dimensional warped AdS black hole

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bécar, Ramón; González, P. A.; Vásquez, Yerko

    2018-04-01

    In this paper we consider the warped AdS3 black hole solution of topologically massive gravity with a negative cosmological constant, and we study the possibility that it acts as a particle accelerator by analyzing the energy in the center of mass (CM) frame of two colliding particles in the vicinity of its horizon, which is known as the Bañnados, Silk and West (BSW) process. Mainly, we show that the critical angular momentum (L_c) of the particle decreases when the warping parameter(ν ) increases. Also, we show that despite the particle with L_c being able to exist for certain values of the conserved energy outside the horizon, it will never reach the event horizon; therefore, the black hole cannot act as a particle accelerator with arbitrarily high CM energy on the event horizon. However, such a particle could also exist inside the outer horizon, with the BSW process being possible on the inner horizon. On the other hand, for the extremal warped AdS3 black hole, the particle with L_c and energy E could exist outside the event horizon and, the CM energy blows up on the event horizon if its conserved energy fulfills the condition E2>(ν 2+3)l2/3(ν ^{2-1)}, with the BSW process being possible.

  19. Engineering a bosonic AdS/CFT correspondence

    OpenAIRE

    Ketov, Sergei V.; Leonhardt, Thorsten; Rühl, Werner

    2001-01-01

    We search for a possible bosonic (i.e. non-supersymmetric) string/gauge theory correspondence by using IIB and 0B strings as a guide. Our construction is based on the low-energy bosonic string effective action modified by an extra form flux. The closed string tachyon can be stabilyzed if the AdS scale L does not exceed certain critical value, L

  20. The added value of mifepristone to non-surgical treatment regimens for uterine evacuation in case of early pregnancy failure: a systematic review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Berg, Joyce; Gordon, Bernardus B M; Snijders, Marcus P M L; Vandenbussche, Frank P H A; Coppus, Sjors F P J

    2015-12-01

    Early pregnancy failure (EPF) is a common complication of pregnancy. Surgical intervention carries a risk of complications and, therefore, medical treatment appears to be a safe alternative. Unfortunately, the current medical treatment with misoprostol alone has complete evacuation rates between 53% and 87%. Some reports suggest that sequential treatment with mifepristone and misoprostol leads to higher success rates than misoprostol alone. To evaluate the added value of mifepristone to current non-surgical treatment regimens in women with EPF we performed a systematic literature search. Electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Current Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Clinical studies, both randomised and non-randomised trials, reporting on the added value of mifepristone to current non-surgical treatment regimens in women with EPF were included. Data of sixteen studies were extracted using a data extraction sheet (based on the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group's data extraction template). The methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool. In five randomised and eleven non-randomised trials, success rates of sequential treatment with mifepristone and misoprostol in case of EPF varied between 52% and 95%. Large heterogeneity existed in treatment regimens and comparators between studies. The existing evidence is insufficient to draw firm conclusions about the added value of mifepristone to misoprostol alone. A sufficiently powered randomised, double blinded placebo-controlled trial is urgently required to test whether, in EPF, the sequential combination of mifepristone with misoprostol is superior to misoprostol only. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.