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Widespread Method (widespread + method)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Engineering40%

Selected Abstracts

IDENTIFYING THE MODERATOR FACTORS OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN GREEK MUNICIPALITIES

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2008
Sandra Cohen
The use of financial ratios is a widespread method for assessing the financial performance of private sector companies. However, the application of an analogous exercise in the public sector is a less straightforward one. In the later case it is a multifaceted task that involves judgments about the interplay of complex social, organizational and financial factors. In this paper we use accrual end of the year financial statements data of Greek Municipalities for the period 2002,2004 to compute nine commonly used performance assessment financial ratios. We find corroborative evidence that factors, which are exogenous to the municipalities' control, such as their wealth and size, have statistically significant impact on ratio values. Thus, as financial ratios are significantly influenced by socio-economic factors like municipal wealth and size, cross sectional comparisons on the basis of these ratios should be made with caution and performed for municipalities that exhibit similarities in terms of size and wealth. [source]

Uncertainty analysis of heat release rate measurement from oxygen consumption calorimetry

FIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 6 2005
Sylvain BrohezArticle first published online: 1 JUL 200
Abstract Oxygen consumption calorimetry remains the most widespread method for the measurement of the heat release rate from experimental fire tests. In a first step, this paper examines by theoretical analysis the uncertainty associated with this measurement, especially when CO and soot corrections are applied. Application of theoretical equations is presented for chlorobenzene which leads to high values of CO and soot yields. It appears that the uncertainty of CO and soot corrections are high when the fuel composition is unknown. In a second step, a theoretical analysis is provided when the simplest measurement procedure is used for oxygen consumption calorimetry. The overall uncertainty can be dominated either by the uncertainty associated with the oxygen concentration, the assumed heat of combustion, the fumes mass flow rate or the assumed combustion expansion factor depending on the oxygen depletion. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A fully robust PARAFAC method for analyzing fluorescence data

JOURNAL OF CHEMOMETRICS, Issue 3 2009
Sanne Engelen
Abstract Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) is a widespread method for modeling fluorescence data by means of an alternating least squares procedure. Consequently, the PARAFAC estimates are highly influenced by outlying excitation,emission landscapes (EEM) and element-wise outliers, like for example Raman and Rayleigh scatter. Recently, a robust PARAFAC method that circumvents the harmful effects of outlying samples has been developed. For removing the scatter effects on the final PARAFAC model, different techniques exist. Newly, an automated scatter identification tool has been constructed. However, there still exists no robust method for handling fluorescence data encountering both outlying EEM landscapes and scatter. In this paper, we present an iterative algorithm where the robust PARAFAC method and the scatter identification tool are alternately performed. A fully automated robust PARAFAC method is obtained in that way. The method is assessed by means of simulations and a laboratory-made data set. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Evaluation of ball and disc wear scar data in the HFRR lubricity test

LUBRICATION SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008
Gerhard Knothe
Abstract The high-frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) lubricity tester has become a widespread method for determining the lubricity of diesel fuels. The test is a ball-on-disc method, in which a steel ball scrapes over a steel disc immersed in the liquid to be tested. According to standards, the wear scar generated on the ball, in the form of the average of the x - and y -axes, is used for evaluating the lubricity of the sample. Generally, the smaller the wear scar, the greater the lubricity of the sample. However, a wear scar is also generated on the disc. The size of the wear scar on the disc also depends on the lubricity of the sample. In this work, the wear scar data of the balls and discs of 230 samples related to the testing of biodiesel and related compounds with petrodiesel were evaluated. Data comparisons for all wear scar combinations correlated well by linear regression. Although correlations are slightly better when using only ball wear scar data (r2 > 0.99), other wear scar data, including those generated on the disc, appear just as useable (r2 , 0.97,0.99) for evaluating lubricity by the HFRR test. The wear scars on the disc have the advantage of being more easily measurable and recognisable under the microscope, especially if the wear scars are small. Limits for all wear scar values corresponding to current limits for average ball wear scar data in standards are presented. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

PCR as a specific, sensitive and simple method suitable for diagnostics

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION, Issue 4 2000
M. Gonzalo Claros
PCR technology is a widespread method that has not reached students laboratory in anything else than a typical amplification reaction. We describe a simple application of PCR in pathogen diagnostics that enables students to identify which ampicillin-resistant organism is present in a cell culture. This experiment has been performed for one year in two "Experimental Biochemistry and Molecular Biology" courses with Biological and Chemical undergraduates. Using specific primers from the Escherichia coli ,-lactamase gene, they have been able to selectively amplify a ,-lactamase DNA fragment in E. coli but not in Staphylococcus aureus and, using different annealing temperatures, test the reaction specificity. By solving the "Study Questions", students understood the specificity and sensitivity of the method, as well as the rationale that should be applied when a molecular weight pattern is used for calculating unknown DNA sizes. © 2000 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [source]