In the absence of a tractable theory of quantum gravity, quantum matter field effects have been so far computed by treating gravity at the Background Field Approximation. The principle aim of this paper is to investigate the validity of this approximation which is not specific to gravity. To this end, for reasons of simplicity and clarity, we shall compare the descriptions of thermal processes ...

The study identifies and analyses the factors that influenced the adoption of new technologies in SMEs. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been used as proxy of new technologies. The findings of the study suggest that industry-specific characteristics such as skilland export-intensiveness have bearings on the type of ICT adoption. The size of operation measured in terms of s...

Data table in which a single set of individuals is described by several groups of variables are frequently encountered. In the factor analysis framework, taking into account different groups of variables in a unique analysis firstly raises the problem of balancing the different group. This problem being solved, beyond classical outputs from factor analysis, it is necessary to have at one’s disp...

We compare, using data envelopment analysis (DEA), the performance of Islamic and conventional banks prior to, during and immediately after the 2008 financial crisis (2004-2009). There is no significant difference in mean efficiency between conventional and Islamic banks when efficiency is measured relative to a common frontier. A meta-frontier analysis (MFA), new to the banking context, howeve...

by Cory David Kidd S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2003) B.S., Georgia Institute of Technology (2000) Submitted to the Program in Media Arts and Sciences, School of Architecture and Planning, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Media Arts and Sciences at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY December 2007 c © Massachusetts Instit...

of Dissertation Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Biology in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Northeastern University, December 2010 Northeastern University Boston, MA December 2010

OF DISSERTATION Submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Northeastern University, April 2009

OF DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Northeastern University, January, 2012

Using a dynamic general equilibrium model, the paper provides a quantitative assessment of the impact of the Multifiber Agreement dismantling on unemployment in Tunisia. The specification of intertemporal behavior of households and firms permits the analysis of the effects of the shock on consumption and investment in the long run. By including a multisectoral model of efficiency wages, the mod...

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) is mainly vectorially targeted to the apical surface in MDCK cells. BFA was found to abolish the apical targeting of DPPIV. This BFA effect could be achieved under conditions where the ER to Golgi transport and the total surface expression of DPPIV were essentially unaffected. BFA executed its effect during the transport from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the ...