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The study examines the adequacy of the measurement of the cross-section of expected stock returns on the London Stock Exchange of the recent three-factor model introduced by Chen, Novy-Marx and Zhang against that of the Fama and French three-factor model. The former model use factors in addition to the market factor based on profitability and investment while the latter model use factors based on
Pellets are a form of biomass used in highly efficient heating systems. Thus, development of pellet markets could improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, create employment opportunities, increase energy security, and improve air quality. The present research explores the development of the domestic pellet market in Bulgaria. The research’s objectives are to investigate bar
The Troubles in Northern Ireland have played a prominent part in modern European history. Despite the success of the Peace Process in the 1990s and subsequent stabilisation of the conflict through the introduction of power-sharing and paramilitary decommissioning of weapons, tensions still dominate the province. This thesis uses the Copenhagen School of Security Studies to investigate processes of
Relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) measurements for 14CO2 enable the estimation of fossil fuel (ff) CO2 fluxes in urban areas. This work is based on 252 REA ffCO2 flux measurements conducted on tall towers in the cities of Zurich, Paris, and Munich. The ffCO2 fluxes were compared to net eddy covariance CO2 fluxes to quantify the role of non-fossil (nf) CO2 fluxes. While the measurements in Zurich and
The lack of energy balance closure in Eddy-Covariance (EC) measurements is a well-known, still unresolved challenge in micrometeorology, with energy balance closure (EBC) rates typically ranging between 60% and 80%. While numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain this imbalance, the relative contributions of neglected energy storage terms, data quality and flux processing options remain in
The rise of solo living presents significant social and environmental challenges, particularly in high-income countries like Denmark where nearly half of households are single occupancy. This study explores the social dynamics driving the trend towards living alone through in-depth interviews with 23 individuals living alone in Denmark. Pathways to solo living include urban relocation, aging out o
How environmental and climate challenges that often evoke strong negative emotions are communicated and responded to is of great importance. These include forest fires, plastic pollution and flooding that can produce fear, sadness and powerlessness. Images are important to this communication, yet how these challenges are captured through visual communication tools and to what outcomes requires fur
We present PyeLink and SyeLink, two complementary open-source Python tools for running eye-tracking experiments and parsing data from SR Research Ltd. EyeLink eye tracking hardware. PyeLink simplifies experiment creation through plug-and-play support for multiple display backends (Pygame, PsychoPy, Pyglet) while enabling two features not available in existing tools: recording data during calibrati
This study focuses on the chromatographic analysis of neonicotinoid pesticides in bumblebee samples. Analyzing these residues presents significant challenges due to the complex biological matrix and the critical need for high detectability to meet regulatory limits. Furthermore, many conventional chromatographic methods are often time-consuming and rely on substantial volumes of hazardous organic
This thesis explores the implementation of the ‘women’s labour market policy programme’ (Arbeitsmarktpolitisches Frauenprogramm) at the public employment service (AMS) Vienna through advisors. As so-called ‘street-level bureaucrats’ AMS advisors have the unique ability to implement policies at the street-level through their work with citizen-clients. The labour market situation in Austria has been
Far beyond its innocence, children and child welfare initiatives have emerged as powerful symbols in Indonesian political campaigns. This research focuses on Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto, showing how their use of initiatives like Smart Card and Free Lunch Program projected legitimacy and garnered votes during the 2014, 2019, and 2024 elections. It uses two main methods: reflexive thematic anal
This study examines how AI for minors is framed by AI companies and constructed in public discourse in China and the United States. Using Rhetorical Arena Theory and framing theory, the study analyses corporate communication from four AI platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Doubao) together with public discourse materials, including mainstream media, NGO reports, and online commentary. Reflexive
The microbial ability to recover metabolism after perturbation events ensures ecosystem functional stability in a changing climate, where multiple climatic stressors increasingly occur in sequential and seasonally cyclic patterns. While prior exposure to a specific stress can enhance microbial resilience to that stress, whether this resilience extends to different stressors remains largely unexplo
Marine environments worldwide are increasingly threatened by warming, deoxygenation, and ocean acidification. These stressors can be recorded as alterations in foraminiferal geochemistry and morphology. We integrated morphological features with assemblage and geochemical records of benthic foraminifera from the Danish Straits at the entrance to the Baltic Sea, covering the Last Interglacial period
Drug-resistant bacterial infections are among the most severe physiological challenges facing human health. Therefore, the detection and inactivation of pathogenic bacteria remains a crucial therapeutic goal in modern society. In this study, we design multifunctional nanocomposites aimed at bacterial binding, fluorescence labeling, and synergistic antibacterial treatment. These nanocomposites are
Depressive and anxiety disorders are leading causes of disability globally. Therapist-guided, Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) is an established treatment for depression and anxiety, but a considerable proportion of treated patients do not achieve sufficient improvement. Predicting symptom changes based solely on clinical variables is challenging, and genetic data could offer
Purpose: Abdominal wall complications can be reduced by adhering to guidelines for midline laparotomy closure. However, implementation of guidelines can be challenging. To address this issue, a laparotomy closure device for swift and standardized abdominal closure was developed. The study evaluated the quality of the suture, safety, and speed of the device in a clinical setting. Methods: A prospec
The metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) dynamics of beta-gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) growth using trimethylgallium (TMGa) and oxygen as precursors were investigated through both theoretical thermodynamic analysis and experimental validation in a horizontal low-pressure hot-wall reactor. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that high-purity β-Ga2O3 can be grown through the complete combustion of
Gamified virtual reality (VR) environments are increasingly used to enhance engagement and learning, yet most designs still adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks motivational diversity. The HEXAD framework, which classifies users into six player types, provides a promising lens for addressing this gap, but its predictive validity in immersive VR remains contested. This study investigat
