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Investigations of material parameters within the system Al, Al₂O₃, Ta, Ta₂O₅ and TaO_xN_1‐x are presented. This combination is characteristic when using Al sheet for production of substrates including electronic interconnections, vias and resistive groups. They can serve for MCMs due to the specific features of Al. The technological process includes first electrochemical oxidation of Al‐sheet as base isolation layer Al₂O₃ (50‐70μm). This process is followed by vacuum deposition of relatively thick layers of Al (2‐5μm). Each layer is then processed by lithographic methods followed by selective electro‐chemical oxidation as a help process for structuring. The development of this combined structuring method allows the simultaneous achievement of interconnections (Al) and isolation (Al₂O₃) levels with least size up to 50μm. The importance of the method consists of a vertical combination of several conductive layers of Al structured as described above, “burying” the interconnections in the insulating Al₂O₃ films. All necessary combinations and configurations of different kinds of microstrip lines are possible. The dielectric characteristics of Al₂O₃, achieved through the above mentioned method, can be changed in accordance with the parameters of the technological steps and filling of the porous structure. Thus some interesting high frequency features of microstrips are obtained. Extra advantage is the ability of combination of conductive Al layers with other types of such layers as tantalum (Ta). With Ta can be achieved other permittivity constants of the insulation layers and in combination with TaO_xN_1‐x intermediate planes of resistive groups are developed. The measurement of the stripline parameters is done by microwave technics, because the desired application of the substrates is for high‐speed digital signals in the GHz range.

In this paper we present recent studies on the electrochemical migration processes in Ag thin film parallel microstrip lines in MCM(D) structures. The basic concept is applying accelerated local drop‐test of water solutions onto the surface of two adjacent lines, under a given voltage potential. These operational conditions are often met in the interconnection line buses, placed in the top assembly level of multilayered hybrid structures. The subject of investigations are MCM(D) developed on Al‐sheet carrier with internal conducting and isolating layers, produced through unique selective electrochemical anodization of Al and Ta. This technology process also enables the creation of embedded R and C passive components on the base of TaO_xN_1‐x and Ta₂O₅ (or Al₂O₃) respectively. We propose an electrochemical deposition of Ag/Sb alloys on the surface of Al interconnection lines and contact pads to ease the bondability and solderability in chip mounting procedures. The artificially created silver migrated defects and partial shorts are investigated through the high frequency method of coupled transmission lines in order to eliminate the errors and insufficient validity of DC direct measurements.

Recent progress in the investigation of the material parameters of Al/Al₂O₃systems leads to an increase in the possibilities for using embedded TaO_XN_1‐X layers. The use of Al‐sheets as mechanical strength carriers in combination with vacuum‐deposited Al‐layers and electrochemically anodized Al₂O₃ structure requires study. This was found to create a periodic multilayer Al/Al₂O₃ structure. The material qualities of this system allow optimization in order to achieve high speed data processing and signal propagation. The existing studies using Al and Ta combination as well as the high resistance qualities of the modified TaO_XN_1‐X layers have shown satisfactory results. It can be concluded that the development of this new layer combination is possible in the multilayer carrier structures. Some preliminary research studies show a proper adhesion and satisfactory characteristics of the two integrated resistive planes in the multilayer combination Al/Al₂O₃//TaO_XN_1‐X/Ta₂O₅/Al.

The increasing demand for organic foods is explained mainly by consumers' concerns about the quality and safety of foods and their perception that organically produced foods are healthier and safer than conventional foods. Based on internationally available concentration data of organic and conventional vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, lettuce and spinach) and potatoes, the paper aims to investigate the scientific validity of nutrition claims as “no vegetable/potato has higher amounts of nutrient X than organic vegetables/potatoes” and “no vegetable/potato has lower amounts of contaminant Y than organic vegetables/potatoes”.

Detailed nutrient and contaminant databases were developed for organic and conventional vegetables separately. Non‐parametric (Mann‐Whitney test) methods were used to detect significant differences between both types of vegetables. A chi‐square test was used to compare the incidence of pesticide residues in organic and conventional vegetables.

From a nutritional and toxicological point of view, organic vegetables and potato in general are not significantly better than conventional vegetables and potatoes. For some nutrients and contaminants organic vegetables and potatoes score significantly better but for others they score significantly worse. Therefore, it becomes difficult to justify general claims indicating a surplus value of organic over conventional vegetables and potatoes. More data from controlled paired studies are needed to reconsider the use of claims for these organic plant foods in the future.

Only a limited number of studies comparing the nutrient and/or contaminant concentration of organic and conventional vegetables are available (“paired studies”). Additionally, the majority of the studies are of moderate or poor quality. The implication is that more of those paired studies are heavily needed. Another limitation of the study is the fact that most pesticide residue data originated from the USA, the EU and Australia.

So far only few studies compared both nutrient and contaminant contents between organic and conventional plant foods. This paper covers therefore an important, not well‐explored research sub area.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the short-term capital markets' reactions to the public announcement first local detection of novel corona virus (COVID 19) cases in 12 major Asian capital markets.

Using the constant mean return model and the market model, an event study methodology has been implied to determine the cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) of 10 pre and post-event trading days. The statistical significance of the data was assessed using both parametric and nonparametric test statistics.

First discovery of local COVID 19 cases had a substantial impact on all 12 Asian markets on the event day, as shown by statistically significant negative average abnormal return (AAR) and cumulative average abnormal return (CAAR). The single factor ANOVA result has also demonstrated that there is no variability among 12 regional markets in terms of short-term market responses. Furthermore, there is little evidence that these major Asian stock market indices differ significantly from the FTSE All-World Index which might suggest possible spillover impact and co-integration among the major Asian capital markets. The study further discovers that market capitalization and liquidity did not have any significant impact on market reaction to announcement.

The study's contribution might have been compromised by the absence of socio-demographic, technical, financial and other significant policy factors from the analysis.

These findings will be considerably helpful in tackling this unprecedented epidemic issue for personal and institutional investors, industrial and economic experts, government and policymakers in assessing the market in special circumstances, diversifying risk and developing financial and monetary policy proposals.

This paper is the first to examine the effects of local COVID 19 detection announcement on major Asian capital markets. This study will add to the literature by investigating unusual market returns generated by infectious illness outbreaks and the overall market efficiency and investors' behavioral pattern of major Asian capital markets.

This chapter examines some of the demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as cultural and institutional traditions, that help explain turnover and retention in Bulgaria. The case of Bulgaria illustrates that extant theories of turnover and retention may not be well suited to account for macroeconomic and large-scale social processes spurred by globalization. The focus here is on collective turnover at the organizational and particularly at upper levels of analysis (e.g., industry, region), and the authors emphasize four factors that they believe jointly contribute to the high levels of turnover in the country, namely (1) globalization processes affecting the country’s demography (i.e., mass international migration), (2) the economy (i.e., global labor arbitrage), (3) institutions (i.e., patchwork capitalism), and (4) culture (i.e., shifting generational values). To further scholarly progress, management scholars need to be more attentive to turnover – and its determinants – for larger collectives, that is, at levels above the unit and organizational. The authors provide concrete suggestions on how the case of Bulgaria opens up some avenues for future research on turnover and retention.

The principal concern of organization managers in the global rivalry of commerce environment is how to select the project portfolio among available projects. In this matter, organizations should consider the uncertainty intrinsic in the projects regarding an appropriate valuation technique within an optimization framework. In this research, the purpose of this paper is to formulate using a robust optimization algorithm to deal with the complexities and uncertainty inherent in the construction of the project portfolio.

First, a general mathematical formulation is presented, which in compound real options valuation is highlighted. This formulation gives managerial flexibility by correcting the deficiency of traditional discounted cash flow technique that excludes any form of flexibility. Then, considering a limitation on budget of the organization, an integer programming formulation to maximize the n-fold compound options for project portfolio selection is proposed. Finally, a robust optimization model is developed along with the robust combinatorial optimization algorithm, which is effective for solving problems under uncertainty.

Sensitivity analysis showed that projects in later phases of development, having survived several phases of pre-clinical and clinical tests, are worth more because they are more likely to pertain to business. However, the investment costs related to each project during development phases limit the number of projects that a company can bring to their final portfolio. Additionally, the analysis of conservatism level represented how project managers can quite easily determine their risk attitude and the corresponding portfolio composition. From a managerial point of view, the proposed framework is very useful because it requires only financial estimates. Hence, the proposed decision support tool can assist research and development (R&D) project managers in the pharmaceutical industry for making decisions.

The first is the application of the n-fold compound options on portfolio of R&D projects and the employment of compound options value of a project portfolio as an objective function. The second one is a mathematical formulation of these concepts and solving it by the robust combinatorial optimization algorithm. The literature is lacking in the application of the robust combinatorial optimization algorithm to R&D project portfolio selection based on the generalized n-fold compound option model of Cassimon et al. (2004). Every framework from calculation of the n-fold compound option to solving robust combinatorial algorithm is programmed in Matlab software, since it can be used as a business support tool.

The purpose of this paper is to study the sensitivity and selectivity properties of polyaniline/tantalum pentoxide (PANI/Ta₂O₅) composite to liquid petroleum gas (LPG).

Polyaniline/tantalum pentaoxide (PANI/Ta₂O₅) composites were synthesized by in situ chemical polymerization method using ammonium persulphate as an oxidizing agent. This is the novel polymerization process for the direct synthesis of emeraldine salt phase of the polymer. The composites were characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM. Temperature dependence conductivity of the composites shows thermally activated behaviour. Sensitivity and selectivity of the composites are studied.

The PANI/ Ta₂O₅ composites of 20 wt% and 30 wt% are showing maximum change in resistance against time when compared to pure PANI and other polyaniline composites when exposed to LPG. The 20 wt % composites show maximum sensitivity of 83% to LPG. The selectivity studies reveals that LPG could be sensed better when compared to oxyacetylene and other test gases.

Selectivity studies have been carried out and the sensor proved to be better than metal oxides sensors.

The sensing material is of low cost.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, studies on Ta₂O₅‐based gas sensor have not been reported previously.

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the effect of the enforcement, which was carried out with ANPRs, on seat belt use. Though the Seat belt Act was enacted in 1992, it did not lead to an expected increase in seat belt use in Turkey including Sanliurfa, which is one of the immense provinces with a population of over 2m. The Sanliurfa Police Department set in an enforcement campaign, in which automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras were used to facilitate an increment in using seat belts in the city center. Under the police leadership, seat belt use enforcement campaign was hugely publicized and sustained throughout the city.

The ANPRs did not have a feature to detect seat belt wearing automatically. Thus, this study tested whether automated plate recognition cameras have a deterrence effect on seat belt usage. To assess the efficacy of this enforcement project, the authors employed a pre/post-implementation design. For this study, the records of the 11 ANPR camera sites, 2 non-camera sites and 2 control sites were utilized.

The results of this study revealed that the seat belt use rate was around 8 percent, before camera enforcement in Sanliurfa. Overall increases were 12 percent during the warning period, 60 percent for the beginning period and 78 percent three months after enforcement began at camera sites. One-way ANOVA results suggested the differences between means of seat belt use counts were statistically significant F (3, 61,596)=15,456, p=0.000.

The findings suggest that there are several reasons for the substantial increase in the seat belt use rate. The first reason for the success of the cameras was their deterrent effect on the drivers, because the drivers were aware that the traffic offense had become readily observable via camera detection in the intersections, and the drivers did not want to be penalized. Second, it is considered that a well-organized publicity of the cameras made a significant contribution to the effectiveness of the enforcement by increasing perceived detection risk. Finally, it is considered that the reason behind the sudden increase in seat belt use was the red-light cameras that had been already in use in Sanliurfa. Namely, the experience of the drivers about camera enforcement gave rise to the rapid decrease in seat belt violation rate in the warning period.

Using cameras (automatic or not) for seat belt enforcement and publicizing this enforcement can help to save resources and lives.

This study found a lot of news about similar enforcement on the internet, but no study was found in the literature that reveals if the enforcement can produce an effective result. Thus, this is the first study in Turkey, may be in the world, that evaluated if cameras of the ANPRS can generate effective seat belt enforcement. Furthermore, the study betokened that traffic violations, which cannot be automatically detected by cameras such as cell phone use and smoking in a vehicle can be effectively enforced by non-automatic cameras. Therefore, we believe that the study will contribute policing and the traffic safety literature.