University of Portsmouth

About: University of Portsmouth is a education organization based out in Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 5452 authors who have published 14256 publications receiving 424346 citations. The organization is also known as: Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art & Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and the Arts.

Audit market competition: auditor changes and the impact of tendering

Abstract: Increased competition within the external audit market and the recent phenomenon of audit tendering has renewed interest in the factors influencing auditor changes. In this paper, a questionnaire instrument is used to elicit perceptions of the factors which influence auditor–client realignments in this new environment and to indicate the relative influence of economic and behavioural factors. Positive, statistically significant associations were found between unsolicited approaches and the consideration of either a change in auditor or the conduct of a competitive tender. Fees are both the most frequently cited reason for considering auditor change and the most frequently cited factor influencing the selection of a new auditor. The chemistry of the relationship with senior audit firm personnel was ranked as more important than service issues in new auditor selection. Several significant associations between the reasons for change and both company size and type of change are identified. In particular, smaller companies, and companies changing from a non-Big Six firm, were more likely to change due to the need for a wider range of services and the influence of third parties. Findings indicated that 55% of auditor changes were effected by means of a tender, with the incumbent auditor having only an 18% chance of retaining the client. The various stages of the tender process appear to be dominated by the finance director, with audit committees having a restricted role. Tenders resulted in significant fee reductions in the year of change.

Radio galaxies in the 2SLAQ Luminous Red Galaxy Survey - I: The evolution of low-power radio galaxies to z ~ 0.7

Abstract: We have combined optical data from the 2dF-SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) LRG (Luminous Red Galaxy) and QSO (quasi-stellar object) (2SLAQ) redshift survey with radio measurements from the 1.4 GHz VLA (Very Large Array) FIRST (Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twentycm) and NVSS (NRAO VLA Sky Survey) surveys to identify a volume-limited sample of 391 radio galaxies at redshift 0.4 < z < 0.7. By determining an accurate radio luminosity function for luminous early-type galaxies in this redshift range, we can investigate the cosmic evolution of the radio-galaxy population over a wide range in radio luminosity. The low-power radio galaxies in our LRG sample (those with 1.4 GHz radio luminosities in the range 10 24 to 10 25 WH z −1 , corresponding to Fanaroff‐Riley I (FR I) radio galaxies in the local Universe) undergo significant cosmic evolution over the redshift range 0 < z < 0.7, consistent with pure luminosity evolution of the form (1 + z) k , where k = 2.0 ± 0.3. Our results appear to rule out (at the 6‐7σ level) models in which low-power radio galaxies undergo no cosmic evolution. The most powerful radio galaxies in our sample (with radio luminosities above 10 26 WH z −1 ) may undergo more rapid evolution over the same redshift range. The evolution seen in the low-power radio-galaxy population implies that the total energy input into massive early-type galaxies from active galactic nucleus (AGN) heating increases with redshift, and was at least 50 per cent higher at z ∼ 0.55 (the median redshift of the 2SLAQ LRG sample) than in the local universe.

Impact response of Kevlar composites with nanoclay enhanced epoxy matrix

Abstract: Kevlar fibres have been widely used as impact-resistant reinforcement in composite materials. However, there are very few works about the effects of nanoclays on the impact strength of Kevlar/epoxy laminates. Therefore, this paper intends to study the ideal amount of nanoclays to obtain the best impact performance. Nanoclays Cloisite 30B were dispersed in the epoxy system of at 1.5%, 3% and 6% in weight. For better dispersion and interface adhesion matrix/clay, nanoclays were previously subjected to a silane treatment appropriate to the epoxy resin. The laminates manufactured with epoxy resin filled by 6 wt.% of nanoclays shown the best performance in terms of elastic recuperation and penetration threshold. The opposite tendency was observed for the displacement at peak load. However marginal benefits can be found when compared the results obtained for laminates filled by 3% and 6% of nanoclays.

The completed SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: BAO and RSD measurements from the anisotropic power spectrum of the quasar sample between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

Abstract: R. Neveux acknowledges support from grant ANR-16-CE31-0021, eBOSS and from ANR-17-CE31-0024-01, NILAC. Funding for SDSS-III and SDSS-IV has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and participating institutions. Additional funding for SDSS-III comes from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Further information about both projects is available at www.sdss.org. SDSS is managed by the Astrophysical Research Consortium for the Participating Institutions in both collaborations. In SDSS-III, these include the University of Arizona, the Brazilian Participation Group, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Florida, the French Participation Group, the German Participation Group, Harvard University, the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, the Michigan State/Notre Dame/JINA Participation Group, Johns Hopkins University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, New Mexico State University, New York University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Portsmouth, Princeton University, the Spanish Participation Group, University of Tokyo, University of Utah, Vanderbilt University, University of Virginia, University of Washington, and Yale University. The Participating Institutions in SDSS-IV are Carnegie Mellon University, Colorado University, Boulder, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Participation Group, Johns Hopkins University, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astrophysik (MPA Garching), Max-Planck-Institut fuer Extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie (MPIA Heidelberg), National Astronomical Observatories of China, New Mexico State University, New York University, The Ohio State University, Penn State University, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, United Kingdom Participation Group, University of Portsmouth, University of Utah, University of Wisconsin, and Yale University. This research used resources of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility supported under contract DE- AC02-06CH11357. This work made use of the facilities and staff of the UK Sciama High Performance Computing cluster supported by the ICG, SEPNet, and the University of Portsmouth. This research used resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science User Facility supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under contract no. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Evidence Summary:: The relationship between oral and cardiovascular disease

Abstract: Aim This paper reports on one review of four rapid reviews undertaken to explore the relationships between oral health and general medical conditions, in order to support teams within Public Health England, health practitioners and policy makers. This review aimed to explore the most contemporary evidence on whether poor oral health and cardiovascular disease occurs in the same individuals or populations, to outline the nature of the relationship between these two health outcomes and to discuss the implication of any findings for health services and future research.Methods The review was undertaken by a group comprising consultant clinicians from medicine and dentistry, trainees, public health and academics. The methodology involved a streamlined rapid review process and synthesis of the data.Results The results identified a number of systematic reviews of low to high quality, which suggests that there is: (1) fairly robust evidence of an increased risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD) amongst individuals with chronic periodontitis, independent of other established cardiovascular risk factors; (2) there is some evidence that the incidence of caries and tooth loss is higher in patients with cardiovascular disease; and (3) that orofacial pain can presents as the sole symptom of stroke in some patients. The findings are discussed in relation to implications for service and future research.Conclusion There is high quality evidence to support an association between cardiovascular disease and oral health. This evidence is mainly related to the association between chronic periodontitis and atherosclerotic heart disease, and is independent of confounding factors as drawn from epidemiological observational studies.