Showing papers by "Muhammad Ramzan published in 2020"

Do corporate governance structure and capital structure matter for the performance of the firms? An empirical testing with the contemplation of outliers

Abstract: A superlative combination of the Board of Directors (BOD) with diverse members is considered a sign of a good governance structure. Meanwhile, the key decision taken by BOD to make organizations profitable is the capital structure with the optimal mix of debt and equity. Unfortunately, previous literature has reported this relationship with a mixed trend, which may be due to research gaps in the statistical analysis. Moreover, it also shows that the relationship between them has not yet been fully predicted and can still be completely understood. This study contains time-variant and time-invariant variables, and these variables usually have an outlier’s problem. As we know that the OLS estimators are more sensitive to react adversely to this problem, yet we have not received enough evidence from similar researches that cares about it. Consistent with these arguments, this study focuses primarily on exploring the influence of corporate governance structure and the capital structure on firms' market-oriented and accounting-based performance, especially with the contemplation of outliers. Hypotheses have been evaluated using M-estimators and S-estimators of robust regression for 45 listed firms for the period from 2013 to 2017. The findings reveal that the governance structure of firms with BOD, independent director, institutional investors, audit committee and female directors accelerates its performance. Further, we find that the leverage ratio improves accounting performance, but it has a downward impact on the share prices of listed firms. Our study contributes to the prevailing literature by proving that the kind of governance structure that based on diverse expert members and a capital structure with a high volume of debt is of utmost importance to the performance of firms as a whole.

Scheduling Charging of Electric Vehicles in a Secured Manner by Emphasizing Cost Minimization Using Blockchain Technology and IPFS

Abstract: In this work, Electric Vehicles (EVs) are charged using a new and improved charging mechanism called the Mobile-Vehicle-to-Vehicle (M2V) charging strategy It is further compared with conventional Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Grid-to-Vehicle (G2V) charging strategies In the proposed work, the charging of vehicles is done in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) manner; the vehicles are charged using Charging Stations (CSs) or Mobile Vehicles (MVs) in the absence of a central entity CSs are fixed entities situated at certain locations and act as charge suppliers, whereas MVs act as prosumers, which have the capability of charging themselves and also other vehicles In the proposed system, blockchain technology is used to tackle the issues related with existing systems, such as privacy, security, lack of trust, etc, and also to promote transparency, data immutability, and a tamper-proof nature Moreover, to store the data related to traffic, roads, and weather conditions, a centralized entity, ie, Transport System Information Unit (TSIU), is used It helps in reducing the road congestion and avoids roadside accidents In the TSIU, an Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS) is used to store the data in a secured manner after removing the data’s redundancy through data filtration Furthermore, four different types of costs are calculated mathematically, which ultimately contribute towards calculating the total charging cost The shortest distance between a vehicle and the charging entities is calculated using the Great-Circle Distance formula Moving on, both the time taken to traverse this shortest distance and the time to charge the vehicles are calculated using real-time data of four EVs Location privacy is also proposed in this work to provide privacy to vehicle users The power flow and the related energy losses for the above-mentioned charging strategies are also discussed in this work An incentive provisioning mechanism is also proposed on the basis of timely delivery of credible messages, which further promotes users’ participation In the end, simulations are performed and results are obtained that prove the efficiency of the proposed work, as compared to conventional techniques, in minimizing the EVs’ charging cost, time, and distance

Towards Void Hole Alleviation: Enhanced GEographic and Opportunistic Routing Protocols in Harsh Underwater WSNs

Abstract: Internet of Things enabled Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (IoT-UWSNs) are quite useful in monitoring different tasks including: from instrument monitoring to the climate recording and from pollution control to the prediction of natural disasters. However, there are some challenges, which affect the performance of a network, i.e., void hole occurrence, high Energy Consumption (EC) and low Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR). Therefore, in this work, two energy efficient routing protocols are proposed to maximize the PDR by minimizing the ratio of void hole occurrence. Scalability analysis of the proposed routing protocols is also performed. Additionally, feasible regions are computed to check the optimality of the proposed protocol in terms of EC. Furthermore, proposed protocols are compared with benchmark routing protocols in counterparts. Simulation results clearly show that proposed routing protocols achieved 80-81% higher PDR than GEographic and opportunistic routing with Depth Adjustment based topology control for communication Recovery (GEDAR) and Transmission Adjustment Neighbor-node Approaching Distinct Energy Efficient Mates (TA-NADEEM). Moreover, the ratio of void hole occurrence is minimized upto 30% approximately.

Text Data Security and Privacy in the Internet of Things: Threats, Challenges, and Future Directions

Abstract: In our daily life, Internet-of-Things (IoT) is everywhere and used in many more beneficial functionalities. It is used in our homes, hospitals, fire prevention, and reporting and controlling the environmental changes. Data security is the crucial requirement for IoT since the number of recent technologies in different domains is increasing day by day. Various attempts have been made to cater the user’s demands for more security and privacy. However, a huge risk of security and privacy issues can arise among all those benefits. Digital document security and copyright protection are also important issues in IoT because they are distributed, reproduced, and disclosed with extensive use of communication technologies. The content of books, research papers, newspapers, legal documents, and web pages are based on plain text, and the ownership verification and authentication of such documents are essential. In the current domain of the Internet of Things, limited techniques are available for ownership verification and copyright protection. In the said perspective, this study includes the discussion about the approaches of text watermarking, IoT security challenges, IoT device limitations, and future research directions in the area of text watermarking.

Existence of conformal vector fields of Bianchi type I space-times in f(R) gravity

Abstract: In this paper, Bianchi type I space-times in the f(R) theory of gravity are classified via conformal vector fields using algebraic and direct integration techniques In this classification, we show

Conformal vector fields in proper non-static plane symmetric spacetimes in f(R) gravity

Abstract: Nonstatic plane symmetric spacetimes are considered to study conformal vector fields (VFs) in the f(R) theory of gravity. Firstly, we investigate some proper nonstatic plane symmetric spacetimes by...

A note on classification of static plane symmetric perfect fluid space-times via proper conformal vector fields in f(G) theory of gravity

Abstract: In the f(G) theory of gravity, we classify static plane symmetric perfect fluid space-times via proper conformal vector fields (CVFs) using algebraic and direct integration approaches. During this ...

Classification of proper non-static cylindrically symmetric perfect fluid space-times via conformal vector fields in f(R) gravity

Abstract: In this paper, we classify proper non-static cylindrically symmetric (CS) perfect fluid space-times via conformal vector fields (CVFs) in the f(R) gravity. In order to classify the space-times, we ...

Conformal vector fields of some vacuum classes of static spherically symmetric space-times in f(T,B) gravity

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the conformal vector fields (CVFs) for some vacuum classes of static spherically symmetric space-times in f(T,B) gravity. First, we have explored the space-t...

Classification of non-conformally flat static plane symmetric perfect fluid solutions via proper conformal vector fields in f(T) gravity

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to classify non-conformally flat static plane symmetric (SPS) perfect fluid solutions via proper conformal vector fields (CVFs) in f(T) gravity. For this purpose, first we ...

On Modelling for Bias-Aware Sentiment Analysis and Its Impact in Twitter

Abstract: Sentiment Analysis (SA) is an active research area for the last ten years. SA is the computational treatment of opinions, sentiments, and subjectivity of text. Twitter is one of the most widely used micro-blog and considered as an important source for computation of sentiment and of data analysis. Therefore, companies all over the world analyze Twitter data using SA and extract knowledge which has potential applications in diverse areas. Although SA is the successful way of finding the people’s opinion, the bias in the tweets affects the results of the SA and reflects inaccurate analysis that may mislead users to take erroneous decisions. The biased tweets are shared by valid, but biased human users as well as the social bots to propagate the biased opinions on certain topics. To counter this, this research study proposes a statistical model to identify such users and social bots who share the biased content in the form of tweets in the Twitter social media. For experiment purpose, we use annotated twitter dataset and argue the results of SA with and without the biased tweets and explored the effects of biased users at micro-level and macro level. The empirical results show that the proposed approach is effective and properly identifies the biased users and bots from other authentic users using sentiment analysis.

Effect of host plants on the biology of Spodoptera litura (F.)

Abstract: Spodoptera litura is an important polyphagous insect pest and information on its host plant relationship aspects is important for developing IPM approaches. The present study evaluates the effect of five natural hosts (cabbage, maize, okra, alfalfa and sesbania) and an artificial diet on the biology of S. litura under laboratory conditions. It was observed that cabbage is the most suitable host- as the larval length was found maximum on cabbage (3.53 cm) followed by alfalfa (3.50 cm), while the least was on okra (2.79 cm). The life span and fecundity of female was also maximum with cabbage; and the least number of egg masses of 7.5 and 9.5 were observed on maize and okra, respectively. The total number of eggs laid was maximum with alfalfa (7200) followed by cabbage (6000) and artificial diet (5200); the least being with maize (1900) and sesbania (2000). These results reveal that all the biological parameters viz., egg, larva, pupa and adult of S. litura are influenced by the host plants.

Conformal vector fields of static spherically symmetric space-times in f(R, G) gravity

Abstract: Assuming the most general form of static spherically symmetric space-times, we search for the conformal vector fields in f(R, G) gravity by means of algebraic and direct integration approaches In

Checklist of the tick (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) species of Pakistan.

Abstract: In developed and underdeveloped countries, ticks are important vectors transmitting various pathogens that cause diseases of veterinary and public health importance, like babesiosis, theileriosis, Crimean‑Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and many more. Many species of ticks have been reported in scientific literature from Pakistan, which need to be listed for ready reference. For this purpose, a checklist of tick species recorded in Pakistan is presented here after comprehensive review of the available literature on the subject. Overall, nine genera and 53 species of ticks infesting animals in Pakistan are presented in this checklist.

Catalytic degradation of methylene blue using a newly engineered composite and its electrochemical performance

Abstract: Herein, we reported the development of tetramethoxyphenylporphyrin (CoTPP)/reduced graphene (rGO)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composite via an ultrasonic treatment. The engineered composite was characterized by different analytical techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The synthesized composite was tested for the catalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) under solar irradiation and the electrochemical performance of the CoTPP/rGO/MWCNTs was also investigated in alkaline media by using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The photodegradation efficiency of prepared CoTPP/rGO/MWCNTs composite is 92% degradation of MB in water within 60 ​min irradiation. The results of the cyclic voltammogram showed that the onset potential value was -0.4 ​V while peak potential value of CoTPP-rGO/CNTs was -0.59 ​V. The high onset peak potential values and the current values of the CoTPP/rGO/MWCNTs make it a promising candidate as a catalyst for ORR.

Performance Assessment and Analysis of Blended Learning in IT Education: A Longitudinal Study in Saudi Electronic University

Abstract: Blended learning is a new educational model that binds traditional face-to-face learning with application of modern tools and technologies. This helps in retaining the positive features of the traditional learning while allowing students to realize potential of modern technologies. In blended learning, student perceptions and satisfaction plays a key role. Longitudinal studies can help identify patterns of these perceptions and expectations to evolve blended learning with changing times and technologies. In this paper, a longitudinal study has been carried out with the students and the faculty of Saudi Electronic University to identify major drivers and their role in shaping student perceptions and satisfaction. The results of this longitudinal study have been validated, and their subsequent comparisons are ascertained with the application of a decision tree based data mining technique. Based on the analysis and the findings of this study, the paper presents recommendations to improve blended learning experience and enhance the effectiveness of the teaching pedagogies developed consequently.

Visual Outcome After Sutureless Scleral Fixation of Intraocular Lens: Doi: 10.36351/pjo.v37i1.1141

Abstract: Purpose: To study the results of sutureless scleral fixation of intraocular lens (IOL) in cases of complicated cataract surgery. Study Design: Interventional case series. Place and Duration of Study: Niazi Medical and Dental College Sargodha from Jan 2018 to Dec 2019. Methods: Twenty-five eyes of 25 consecutive patients were selected for this study. Patients of traumatic cataract with zonular dehiscence, patients who had per-operative complications like PC rent with insufficient capsular bag, and children with subluxated lens of Marfan, Ehler Danlos syndrome were included in this study. After routine investigation all patients were operated under local anesthesia except children, who were operated under general anesthesia. Sclerotomies were made at 3 and 9 o’clock positions with MVR blade. Sutureless scleral fixation of intraocular lens was done. The haptics of lenses were buried in the scleral pockets which were already made at 3 and 9 o‘clock position. Post-operative antibiotics and steroids were given for 8 weeks and patients were followed up for two years. Results: Out of 25, 18 (72%) female patients and 7 (28%) male patients underwent surgery. Most of the patients had previous surgical complications of Posterior capsular rent 15 (60%). Four (16%) patients had eye trauma, three had lens subluxation for pseudo-exfoliation and 3 patients (children) were suffering from Marfan Syndrome. Seventy-two percent patients had visual acuity of more than 6/18, 16% had 6/18 to 6/24 and 12% had 6/24 to 6/60. Conclusion: Properly done suture-less scleral fixation is a safe technique with little chance of IOL dislocation. Key Words: Scleral fixation, Intraocular lens, Cataract.