• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.12
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• pp.783-793
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• 2020

This research investigates the explanatory factors governing the dividend payout to shareholders of blue-chip companies listed on Bursa Malaysia. In spite of continuous attention offered by empirical research on dividend payout of publicly-listed companies, paradoxically only few studies exclusively examined the explanatory factors from the perspective of blue-chip companies. Recognizing the capability of blue-chip companies to serve as a stalwart indicator of stock market condition as well as a consistent income source to shareholders, more research should be carried out for better inference on the companies' dividend payout decision. This research is using 522 observations from a sample of 18 Malaysian blue-chip companies over a 29-year period (1990 to 2019) and utilizes a panel data regression analysis for the estimation of the impact of eight factors, namely, systematic risk, leverage, free cash flow, lagged dividends, market-to-book value, profit growth, total asset turnover, and company size. Measuring dividend payout using two specifications (dividend/earnings and dividend/total assets), this research reveals that systematic risk and free cash flow have a significant and negative impact on dividend payout. Meanwhile, past year dividends, market-to-book value, profit growth, total asset turnover and company size have a significant and positive impact on dividend payout.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.29-37
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• 2020

This research seeks to determine the influence of investment opportunity set (IOS); profitability (Return on Assets - ROA), liquidity, business risk and firm size on debt policy. We used 42 manufacturing companies registered on the Indonesian Stock Exchange (Bursa Efek Indonesia) as object research. We used purposive sampling method to determined samples, consider the period observation from 2012 to 2016, and produce 168 units analysis. Data analysis uses the multiple regressions with the SPSS tools. The results of the study found that companies' debt policies in Indonesia are negatively affected by the liquidity. Investment opportunity set (IOS) has negative effect on debt policy. Meanwhile, ROA, Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), and firm size of a company has no impact on debt policy. These findings indicate that Indonesian manufacture companies do not see the high investment opportunity set and profitability as a policy basis for increasing debt. Moreover, the high profitability also does not cause companies to increase their debt ratio. Our study indicates that Indonesian manufacture companies use internal funds to fund their investment. This finding is a concern for creditors, as they can now see the ability of the companies, and especially their performance, in determining their credit policies.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1125-1143
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• 2016

Forced vibration analysis of a simple supported viscoelastic nanobeam is studied based on modified couple stress theory (MCST). The nanobeam is excited by a transverse triangular force impulse modulated by a harmonic motion. The elastic medium is considered as Winkler-Pasternak elastic foundation.The damping effect is considered by using the Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic model. The inclusion of an additional material parameter enables the new beam model to capture the size effect. The new non-classical beam model reduces to the classical beam model when the length scale parameter is set to zero. The considered problem is investigated within the Timoshenko beam theory by using finite element method. The effects of the transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia are included according to the Timoshenko beam theory. The obtained system of differential equations is reduced to a linear algebraic equation system and solved in the time domain by using Newmark average acceleration method. Numerical results are presented to investigate the influences the material length scale parameter, the parameter of the elastic medium and aspect ratio on the dynamic response of the nanobeam. Also, the difference between the classical beam theory (CBT) and modified couple stress theory is investigated for forced vibration responses of nanobeams.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.455-462
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• 2018

The measurement and monitoring of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) play an important role in the planning and operation of wastewater treatment plants. The most basic method for determining biochemical oxygen demand is direct measurement. However, this method is both expensive and takes a long time. A five-day period is required to determine the biochemical oxygen demand. This study has been carried out in a wastewater treatment plant in Turkey (Hurma WWTP) in order to estimate the biochemical oxygen demand a shorter time and with a lower cost. Estimation was performed using artificial neural network (ANN) method. There are three different methods in the training of artificial neural networks, respectively, multi-layered (ML-ANN), teaching learning based algorithm (TLBO-ANN) and artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC-ANN). The input flow (Q), wastewater temperature (t), pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended sediment (SS), total phosphorus (tP), total nitrogen (tN), and electrical conductivity of wastewater (EC) are used as the input parameters to estimate the BOD. The root mean squared error (RMSE) and the mean absolute error (MAE) values were used in evaluating performance criteria for each model. As a result of the general evaluation, the ML-ANN method provided the best estimation results both training and test series with 0.8924 and 0.8442 determination coefficient, respectively.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2020

Buckling and post-buckling cases are often occurred in aorta artery because it affected by higher pressure. Also, its stability has a vital importance to humans and animals. The loss of stability in arteries may lead to arterial tortuosity and kinking. In this paper, post-buckling analysis of aorta artery is investigated under axial compression loads on the basis of Euler-Bernoulli beam theory by using finite element method. It is known that post-buckling problems are geometrically nonlinear problems. In the geometrically nonlinear model, the Von Karman nonlinear kinematic relationship is employed. Two types of support conditions for the aorta artery are considered. The considered non-linear problem is solved by using incremental displacement-based finite element method in conjunction with Newton-Raphson iteration method. The aorta artery is modeled as a cylindrical tube with different average diameters. In the numerical results, the effects of the geometry parameters of aorta artery on the post-buckling case are investigated in detail. Nonlinear deflections and critical buckling loads are obtained and discussed on the post-buckling case.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.110-114
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• 2020

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is a common condition in obese children. However, its effect on glucose and lipid metabolism in obese children remains controversial. Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the association between SH and metabolic parameters. Methods: A total of 215 obese children and adolescents aged 6-18 years were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. The patients' anthropometric measurements such as thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), fasting plasma glucose, and insulin levels, as well as homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and lipid profiles were evaluated. The patients were allocated to the SH group (fT4 normal, TSH 5-10 mIU/L) (n=77) or the control group (fT4 normal, TSH<5 mIU/L) (n=138). The glucose and lipid metabolisms of the 2 groups were compared. Results: SH was identified in 77 of 215 patients (36%). Mean body mass index was similar in both groups. The mean serum insulin, HOMA-IR, and triglyceride (TG) levels were higher and the mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was lower in the SH group than in the control group (P=0.007, P=0.004, P=0.01, and P=0.02, respectively). A positive correlation was observed between TSH level and insulin level, HOMA-IR, and TG level. Conclusion: SH was identified in some of the obese children and adolescents. A clear association was observed between SH, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia in obese children.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.664-676
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• 2001

This study highlights the homogeneity in the heritage of the costume cultures between the Gulf of Aden, a part of the Horn region of Africa and the Arab region of West. Asia. Specifically, a cross-cultural perspective is used to examine the similarities between the two regions based on their (1) geographic living cultures and (2) the use of a costume accessory called Burga-a face veil. The current trend in research on the traditional costume culture of Africa mostly ties art with the traditional costume culture and examines its from an aesthetic or animalism perspective rather than from a cross cultural Perspective. Compared to Previous research in this area this study used literature reviews and Pictorial analysis to analyze costume cultures from a cross-cultural perspective. The Burga, which is worn in the low lands of the Horn region, which is located between the West Asia and African continents, as well as the Arab region, shows a reciprocal cultural exchange between the two regions. Similarities can be found in the shape, design, decorative elements, and the way the Bursa was worn in two regions. Although the Burga as a face veil is only a small part of a costume, it reaffirms the similar living cultures and geographic characteristics of the two regions. As the living culture environment becomes similar around the world, this study should help with cross culture negotiations as well as forther the development of traditional costume research.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1177-1182
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• 1998

The antimutagenic and cancer cell growth inhibitory effects of woorimil contained herb and seaweed powders were examined. While woorimil itself showed only 40% antimutagenic effect on S. typhymurium TA98 against 4NQO(0.15 g/plate), water extracts of mountain herbs and seweeds including Comfrey, wormwood, Kale, Angelica utilis and pine leaves showed 80~90% antimutagenicity. On the other hand, these extracts along with woorimil showed 68 to 80% antimutagenic activities. Low antimutagenic activities of less than 50% were shown when these extracts were tested on TA98 against Trp P 1(0.5 g/plate), but high antimutagenic activities of 80~93.3% were shown on TA100. Water extracts of Capsella bursa pastoris and Allium grayi exhibited 60~80% of the activites in cytotoxicity tests of woorimil water extracts(0.5mg/ml) on human lung carcinoma cell. A549 showed 10% cell growth inhibitory effect. When mixed with Comfrey and Angelica utilis extracts, it showed 23~25% inhibition and other extracts showed only 12~23% inhibition. Cytotoxicity test of woorimil extracts on human liver cancer cell Hep3B revealed 20% inhibition. The additions of pine needle extracts, Angelica utilis and Comfrey showed 33%, 29% and 25% inhibition, respectively. But other extracts showed only 20% inhibition.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.431-447
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• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of mixed probiotic on the immunity, productivity index and mortality rate in the broiler. Total of 120 one-day-old Ross broilers chicks were randomly assigned into two treatments (control dietary group and probiotic-treated group) with three replications of each treatment. The probiotic group broiler had a lower mortality rate than control during the experimental period. The productivity index in the probiotic group increased significantly than the control group. The weight of the bursa of fabricius was high in the probiotic-treated group than the control group. Activated the immunity level after fed the probiotic mixed diet compared to the control group. Furthermore, the probiotic diet significantly decreased the saturated fatty the control group. Whereas the probiotic mixed diet increased the unsaturated fatty acid than the control group. Afterward, the diet including probiotic induced positive impact on broilers immunity level. This indicates that a probiotic mixed diet could be protecting the intestine from the invasion of a pathogenic organism. It would be beneficial to the poultry industries by decrease the broiler mortality rate with elevated the immunity.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.219-242
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• 2018

In this study, static bending of an edge cracked cantilever nanobeam composed of functionally graded material (FGM) subjected to transversal point load at the free end of the beam is investigated based on modified couple stress theory. Material properties of the beam change in the height direction according to exponential distributions. The cracked nanobeam is modelled using a proper modification of the classical cracked-beam theory consisting of two sub-nanobeams connected through a massless elastic rotational spring. The inclusion of an additional material parameter enables the new beam model to capture the size effect. The new non-classical beam model reduces to the classical beam model when the length scale parameter is set to zero. The considered problem is investigated within the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory by using finite element method. In order to establish the accuracy of the present formulation and results, the deflections are obtained, and compared with the published results available in the literature. Good agreement is observed. In the numerical study, the static deflections of the edge cracked FGM nanobeams are calculated and discussed for different crack positions, different lengths of the beam, different length scale parameter, different crack depths, and different material distributions. Also, the difference between the classical beam theory and modified couple stress theory is investigated for static bending of edge cracked FGM nanobeams. It is believed that the tabulated results will be a reference with which other researchers can compare their results.