Higher Returns Research Articles

Livelihood diversification and household economic well-being in rural Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT This study attempted to measure the impact of livelihood diversification on household economic well-being and to examine the socioeconomic determinants of various livelihood strategies. The study utilised primary data collected through a structured interview schedule as well as key informant interviews (KIIs) and focused group discussions (FGDs). Stepwise linear regression was used to find the contribution of livelihood strategies in household economic well-being, while logistic regression was applied to examine the determinants of livelihood diversification. The study concluded that diversification towards sectors with high returns was the most instrumental in enhancing household economic well-being. The other social group, large, highly educated, and landless households were more likely to adopt sectors with high returns. Women’s participation in the labour force was positively associated with household economic well-being. This study highlighted the need for immediate policy interventions by filling educational gaps and equalising economic opportunities in rural areas in Madhya Pradesh.

Half substitution of mineral N with fish protein hydrolysate enhancing microbial residue C and N storage and climate benefits under high straw residue return

The widespread utilization of straw return was a popular practice straw disposal for highly intensive agriculture in China, which has brought about some negative impacts such as less time for straw complete biodegradation, aggravation of greenhouse gas evolution, and lower efficient of carbon accumulation. It was urgent to find an eco-friendly N-rich organic fertilizer instead of mineral N as activator to solve the above problems and lead a carbon accumulation in long tern management. Besides, microbial necromass was considered as a crucial contributor to persistent soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pool. How organic fertilizer activators influence microbial residue under different amount of crop residues input remained unclear. Thus, soils incorporating moderate and high rate of rice straw residue with additions of half and full of organic activators (fish protein hydrolysates vs. manure) were incubated for measuring carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, microbial community and necromass. It was found that soil CO2 emission was rapidest during the first 13 days of straw decomposition but remained lowest in the treatments of 50% mineral N substituted by fish protein hydrolysate. There were that 81%–89% of total CO2 release and 59%–65% of total N2O emission occurred within 60 days of incubation period, and bacterial community and nitrate positively affected soil CO2 and N2O release respectively. Straw incorporation amount and organic activator application interactively influenced soil CO2 emission but not affected soil N2O emission. After 360 days of incubation, the difference of bacterial necromass was noticeable but fungal necromass remained almost unaltered across all treatments. All treatments showed generally comparable contribution of microbial necromass N to the total N pool. The treatment of 50% mineral N substituted by fish protein hydrolysate under high rate of straw input (HSF50) promoted the highest proportion of microbial necromass C in soil organic C because of alleviating N limitation for microorganisms. Finally, HSF50 was recommended as an eco-friendly strategy for enhancing microbial necromass C and N storage and climate benefits in agroecosystems.

Ginger-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Natural Solution for Alopecia.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale (L.) Rosc), as an edible plant-derived nanoparticle, offers several advantages, such as a high return rate, low budget, no ethical barriers, and good for health. Ginger-Derived Extracellular Vesicles (GDEVs) are nanoscale vesicles isolated from ginger. In this study, GDEVs were used to treat the alopecia mouse model, and its main active components and potential mechanism of action were investigated. The LC-MS/MS analysis of GDEVs revealed the presence of 1299 chemical compounds, among which auxiliary components were identified. Interestingly, the crux of the analysis lies in the discovery of 13 specific ingredients that play a pivotal role in hair proliferation. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of GDEVs on hair loss. These advantages make ginger-derived nanoparticles a promising solution to overcome technical limitations associated with mammalian nanoparticles. This study elucidates the mechanism of action of GDEVs in the treatment of alopecia. However, the active ingredients and mechanism of action of GDEVs in the treatment of hair loss are unknown. GDEVs were isolated from ginger using the differential centrifugal method. Network pharmacological analysis of the GDEVs revealed that the anti-hair loss effect of GDEVs on alopecia was closely linked to its ability to reduce inflammation and promote the proliferation of hair follicle stem cells. Subsequently, it was applied to the balding areas of hair-loss mice using a brush. The results demonstrated that the application of GDEVs led to a rapid recovery of the balding areas and promoted the growth of healthier hair. This experiment reported that GDEVs can effectively suppress the inflammatory activity in the alopecia model mice.

DEALING WITH CRYPTOCURRENCIES AND THEIR PERSPECTIVE IN THE FUTURE

The advent of cryptocurrencies has revolutionized the financial landscape, offering a new and innovative way for individuals to invest and manage their wealth. Investing in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others, has numerous advantages that make it an attractive option for those seeking to diversify their portfolios. One of the primary benefits of investing in cryptocurrencies is their potential for high returns. As the popularity and adoption of cryptocurrencies continue to grow, their value can fluctuate significantly, providing investors with substantial profits. Additionally, cryptocurrencies offer a level of liquidity and accessibility that is unmatched by traditional assets, allowing investors to buy and sell quickly and easily. This article aims to explore the advantages of investing in cryptocurrencies and their perspective in the future. We will examine the benefits of diversifying investment portfolios with cryptocurrencies, the potential for high returns, and the potential risks involved. Furthermore, we will discuss the current state of the market and the future prospects of cryptocurrencies.

Assessment of Agricultural Virtual Water Export of Türkiye

As the negative effects of climate change are amplified, the agriculture sector is becoming more fragile. Food security is under risk because agriculture is highly dependent on climatic conditions and availability of water resources all over the world. For this reason, the concepts of virtual water and water footprint have begun to gain importance as decision-support tools for the effective and efficient use of water. However, there is a gap in the literature, where few studies focus on virtual water trade. Given the increasing stress caused by reasons such as the scarcity of water resources and climate change, this concept is likely to gain serious attention in the coming years. Türkiye is a water-stressed country whose water resources are decreasing due to the impact of climate change. More effective water management is needed to meet the increasing demand. In this study, virtual water was determined for Türkiye's agricultural export, and it was observed that crops with high water footprint but low economic returns were also exported in large amounts. It was revealed that the virtual amount of water exported by the evaluated crops was 5.9 billion m3 annually. This value is high enough to meet the domestic water needs of a metropolitan city like Istanbul for seven years. It is evident that water footprint and virtual water concepts would help decision makers to support optimized water consumption and sustainable water management.

Identifying untraced faults associated with high return temperatures from heating systems in buildings connected to district heating networks

The district heating (DH) system is in its transition towards the 4th generation district heating (4GDH), and the high DH return temperatures need to be addressed during the process. In the existing building heating systems, many faults, malfunctions, or sub-optimal operations can lead to high DH return temperatures. However, the field of fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) within heating systems is notably under-researched in contrast to their counterparts in ventilation and air conditioning in building HVAC systems. This divergence can be attributed to several factors, including limited digital integration, a scarcity of data, and the non-obvious nature of faults in heating systems. In this study, we utilized heat cost allocators (HCA) and energy meters to investigate the features and potential impacts of four untraced faults that can lead to high district heating (DH) return temperatures in both space heating and domestic hot water systems in large buildings. We identified component-level faults, including heat exchanger overflow, space heating temperature controller failures, and excessive operating temperatures due to bypass, as well as system-level issues such as non-uniform heat distribution in buildings and its impacts. This exploration provides new, critical insights for advancing FDD research in HVAC and DH systems.

Application of a Robust Maximum Diversified Portfolio to a Small Economy’s Stock Market: An Application to Fiji’s South Pacific Stock Exchange

In this study, we apply a novel approach of portfolio diversification—the robust maximum diversified (RMD)—to a small and developing economy’s stock market. Using monthly returns data from August 2019 to May 2024 of 18/19 stocks listed on Fiji’s South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPX), we construct the RMD portfolio and simulate with additional constraints. To implement the RMD portfolio, we replace the covariance matrix with a matrix comprising unexplained variations. The RMD procedure diversifies weights, and not risks, hence we need to run a pairwise regression between two assets (stocks) and extract the R-square to create a P-matrix. We compute each asset’s beta using the market-weighted price index, and the CAPM to calculate market-adjusted returns. Next, together with other benchmark portfolios (1/N, minimum variance, market portfolio, semi-variance, maximum skewness, and the most diversified portfolio), we examine the expected returns against the risk-free (RF) rate. From the simulations, in terms of expected return, we note that eight portfolios perform up to the RF rate. Specifically, for returns between 4 and 5%, we find that max. RMD with positive Sharpe and Sortino (as constraints) and the most diversified portfolio offer comparable returns, although the latter has slightly lower standard deviation and downside volatility and contains 94% of all the stocks. Portfolios with returns between 5% and the RF rate are the minimum-variance, the semi-variance, and the max. RMD with positive Sharpe; the latter coincides with the RF rate and contains the most (94%) stocks compared to the other two. An investor with a diversification objective, some risk tolerance and return preference up to the RF rate can consider the max. RMD with positive Sharpe. However, depending on the level of risk-averseness, the minimum-variance or the semi-variance portfolio can be considered, with the latter having lower downside volatility. Two portfolios offer returns above the RF rate—the market portfolio (max. Sharpe) and the maximum Sortino. Although the latter has the highest return, this portfolio is the least diversified and has the largest standard deviation and downside volatility. To achieve diversification and returns above the RF rate, the market portfolio should be considered.

Youth Investment Trends : Analysing the Rise of Young Investors in the Stock Market : Indian Vs U.S. Stocks

This study explores why young Indian investors are increasingly favouring U.S. stocks over domestic ones. Through surveys & interviews with investors aged 18-35, we uncover key influences such as the allure of global brands, the perceived stability of U.S. markets, and the power of social media. While tech innovations and easy access to trading platforms boost their enthusiasm, a gap in financial literacy poses risks. The reasons causing young investors to prefer US stocks over Indian stocks are higher returns, stability & global exposure. We highlight the need for better education and support to harness this demographic’s potential, aiming to democratize investment opportunities in the digital age

Enhancing Chinese Pension Funds Development through ESG Investment Perspectives

In current China, where the pension funds system is facing enormous pressure, this article will explore the positive impact of incorporating ESG investments into the Chinese pension funds system on its future development. Through research on the current situation of China's pension system, it is found that there are problems such as uneven regional distribution, unbalanced development of the three pillars, high population pressure and funding gap, high investment return requirements, and limited investment channels. By studying the feasible experiences of top ESG investment companies and leading countries in development, it is concluded that ESG investment contributes to improving the return on investment and stability of pension funds, and can alleviate the existing problems in China's pension funds. Finally, it is summarized that the feasible experience of combining ESG investment with China's pension funds is to take the lead in policies first, combined with strict supervision, and pay attention to talent cultivation.

Analysis of Enterprise Value Investment Strategy

As the stock market continues to develop and improve, people gradually realize that the stock market is also a good investment and financial management choice. Compared with insurance and funds, it has a high rate of return, attracting people to join. Benjamin Graham's value investing is one of the common investment methods, laying the foundation for the in-depth fundamental valuation used by all market participants in stock analysis. Allowing investors to obtain high returns using simple data analysis methods. This article analyzes two popular stocks in the beverage market, Starbucks, and PepsiCo, to select stocks worth investing in. The main research method of this article uses the Price/Earnings-to-Growth (PEG) Ratio, the Profitability Ratio (GP/A) and the Gross Margin Ratio in value investing to compare the strengths and weaknesses of the two companies. The results of the study found that Starbucks' three main values are better than PepsiCo. After further analysis and research, currently, Starbucks may be a stock worthy of investment in the beverage market.

High Return to Play and Variable Salary Impact After Hip Arthroscopy in National Hockey League Players

High Return to Play and Variable Salary Impact After Hip Arthroscopy in National Hockey League Players

Effective Strategies For Small Startups To Attract Venture Capital

In essence, for small startups, securing VC is a major breakthrough for growing and scaling up their business. The paper now zeroes in on the tactics that small startups can employ to capture, to a larger extent, the potential attention of VCs. The most critical strategies in order to engage VCs will be what this discussion will be based on as we turn into a collection of previous literature, case studies, and expert insights. Forge a Convincing Business Model: One solid business model is what lies at the core of how to attract VC investment. How a startup can sketch out its value proposition, revenue streams, and path to scaling. This business model does not only bring out the potential for high returns that the startup might have; it also aligns with the risk appetite of these venture capitalists. Network Building: Networking forms one of the core functions of the entire venture capital business. This paper looks into just how a network of one's own can be built and leveraged via industrial connections, along with mentors and advisors. Proper networking will result in more visibility and credibility, thus increasing the opportunity for start-ups to reach out to potential investors. Demonstrating Market Potential: For venture capitalists, the ability to demonstrate a clear market potential is very much desirable from startups. We will see how startups can present information on market size, customer segments, and competitive landscape to secure an investment interest. Making a Strong Pitch: Preparing a convincing pitch is a sure way of attracting the interest of VCs. We will look at the main components of the pitch: elevator pitch, articulating the problem and solution, definition of the market opportunity, articulation of the solution itself, business model, traction, team, and financial projections. Preparing a sound pitch can dramatically increase the chance of receiving venture capital. Apart from these, the paper also makes the target to address the critical pitfalls which startup companies often face in the form of indistinct ideas, over-promise on market size, and unrealistic projections for financials. It must help the startups, through practical recommendations and insights, reach an optimization of approaches toward venture capital and hence secure the necessary funding portions of growth and success

The Model of Stock Pricing Banking Sector on the Indonesia Stock Exchange during the Government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko Widodo

Differences in macroeconomic conditions between the SBY and JKW government periods can significantly impact stock prices within the banking sector, especially when the economy experiences fluctuations, leading to increased stock price volatility. This research aims to assess the influence of various macroeconomic factors, including the Global index, macroeconomics, world oil prices, China index, Arab index, competitive resources, and inflation, on banking sector returns from October 2004 to October 2014. The analysis utilizes the arbitrage pricing theory, difference test, and mean absolute deviation. The study divides the analysis into high-return and low-return groups for each government period. Findings indicate that macroeconomic factors exert a simultaneous influence on return groups during both SBY and Jokowi's administrations. However, for JKW high returns, these factors do not significantly impact them. Specifically, the Global Index, China Index, Arab Index, Resource Competitiveness, and Inflation show a positive correlation with both high and low returns during SBY term. Conversely, during JKW tenure, only the Global Index and China Index exhibit positive effects on high and low returns. The difference test reveals disparities in the Arab index for high and low returns of SBY, while only the Global index displays differences for JKW. The variations in high returns between SBY and Jokowi stem from discrepancies in the Global and Arab indices, while no distinctions exist in low returns between the two administrations. Additionally, the mean absolute return values for high returns during JKW era demonstrate the smallest accuracy, indicating potential limitations in the predictive power of the model during this period.

주식을 이용한 사기 피해 방지방안에 관한 연구

Fraud crime using stocks (hereinafter referred to as fraud crime) refers to defrauding investments by supplying listed stocks, unlisted stocks, and overseas futures at lower prices than the actual transaction price using virtual securities companies and inducing investment by guaranteeing high returns. Since this crime is committed using fake phones and fake bank accounts in cyberspace called communication media, it is difficult to identify criminals, making it difficult to arrest them. Victims of fraud suffer from mental pain such as depression, anxiety, regret, and despair due to financial loss. Therefore, related agencies will not be able to stop crimes unless legal, institutional, and policy countermeasures are sought to prevent them. To prevent this, it is necessary to seek proactive and follow-up measures. First, the preliminary precautionary measure is ① by enacting a law on criminal law alarms to prevent damage by informing investigative agencies or financial institutions of the criminal law to the entire population. ② Even if an investor remits the investment, the investment should not be remitted for a certain period of time through the remittance transfer delay system, so that the investment should not be remitted to the criminal's account when the investor is judged to be fraudulent. ③ Financial institutions notify the investigative agency when a large amount of deposit and withdrawal accounts occur for a certain period of time, and when a damage report is received for the account, the investigative agency must immediately obtain a seizure and search warrant and confiscate it to prevent further damage. ④ Employees of financial companies should be able to impose the obligation to notify them through the revision of related laws that they can be punished if they are used for identification procedures and crimes when opening mobile phones and bankbooks. Next, the follow-up measures are ① The National Assembly should strengthen criminal punishment through the revision of the criminal law so that fraudulent crimes are not considered “remaining business,” so that potential criminals do not only prevent crime but also lead to crime. ② When a crime damage report is received, the investigative agency should obtain a real-time communication warrant so that the criminal can be located and arrested. ③ The National Assembly should unify the request for a search warrant from the police to the court so that investigative agencies can obtain warrants early and confiscate mobile phones and bank accounts. ④ The Ministry of Justice should establish a law enforcement agency dedicated to fraud so that it can arrest criminals and prevent crimes by securing expertise and giving investigative power superior to criminal methods. ⑤ The National Assembly should enact a law on suspension of withdrawal to prevent withdrawal when a financial institution requests the suspension of withdrawal, knowing that the investor is a fraud. These countermeasures will be a great driving force in preventing fraudulent crimes.

A novel mass integration cogeneration system: Working fluid selection model and multi-criteria decision analysis

As the globe faces major difficulties such as climate change, environmental pollution, and limited energy resources, improving energy efficiency and decreasing the environmental effects of energy systems have become research priorities. A novel mass integration cogeneration (MICHP) system is proposed in this paper. In addition, a mathematical model relating the basic physical properties of the working fluid to the system's performance has been developed. R1233zd(E), R1224yd(Z), R601a, R245fa, and acetone have been chosen to be applied to the MICHP to confirm the model's accuracy. By utilizing the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution, the entropy weight method, and energy, exergy, economic, and environmental analyses of the MICHP, the general efficiency of the working fluid is further explored. The results show that the intermediate heat exchanger is the largest exergy destruction equipment in the system. R601a has the highest return on investment of 0.53, and the annual operating cost is found to be proportional to the latent heat of the working fluid. R1233zd(E) has the lowest environmental impact, with a total equivalent warming impact of −4.89 × 106 kgCO2eq. The multi-criteria decision analysis of the working fluid agrees with the order of the proposed mathematical model's results, proving the model's accuracy. Consequently, the mathematical model can provide a helpful technique guide for working fluid selection in cogeneration systems.

Firms’ cost structure and stock return volatility

PurposeThis paper proposes a framework to identify a pattern in the relationship between firms’ cost structure (i.e. fixed versus variable) and their volatility in stock returns.Design/methodology/approachOur empirical analysis is based on a panel data regression where we use an extended sample period and a time-series regression-based elasticity measure of operating leverage.FindingsWe document significantly higher systematic risk among firms with large fixed costs, a conclusion which confirms theoretical predictions of earlier studies. In new findings, we document high firm-specific risk and high stock return volatility among firms with a fixed cost structure.Originality/valueThe paper fills a gap in the literature by examining the effect of cost structure using various operating leverage measures and other control measures for firm characteristics on idiosyncratic risk. Studies that seek to explain firms’ systematic risks are numerous; conversely, there are relatively fewer studies on the determinants of firms’ specific risks.

How retailers can gain more profitability driven by digital technology: Live streaming promotion and blockchain technology traceability?

Live streaming in e-commerce often faces challenges like counterfeit products and high return rates. To mitigate this issue, retailers can adopt blockchain technology for product traceability to enhance consumer trust, i.e., blockchain-traceable products may be sold in live streaming. Our paper presents three analytical models under various return policies to explore how live streaming and blockchain technology interact in e-commerce. Retailers can invest in live streaming with influencers to attract consumers and in blockchain technology to reduce product returns, benefiting from a demand-enhancing effect and a price-enhancing effect, respectively. The retailer’s investment strategy between live streaming and blockchain technology depends on the interactions of these two effects, moderated by the retailer’s budget type, the market commission level of live streaming, and the traceability cost of blockchain technology. For budget-constrained retailers, live streaming and blockchain technology act as substitutes. When the commission level is low (high) and the traceability cost is high (low), the demand-enhancing (price-enhancing) effect dominates the price-enhancing (demand-enhancing) effect, thus the retailer invests in live streaming (blockchain technology) as a substitute for blockchain technology (live streaming). Conversely, for budget-unconstrained retailers, they may act as complements, prompting investment in both when commission levels and traceability costs are low. The retailer does not invest in either when both the commission level and traceability cost are high. We extend our results to a full refund policy to show the robustness of our result and find that it reduces the retailer’s incentive to invest in live streaming or blockchain technology.

Research on the Correlation Between Improved Corporate Composite Scores and Stock Prices in the Context of Carbon Neutrality

The stock market attracts many investors because of its high risk and high return characteristics. Therefore, it is of strong practical value to find a scientific and effective evaluation method for listed companies and explore its relationship with stock prices. This article combines the financial and non-financial data of listed companies from 2020 to 2023 to provide a composite score for companies based on the improved Wall Marking Way, and uses the Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analyses to investigate the correlation between the score on stock value. It is found that there is a significant positive correlation between comprehensive score and stock price, which proves the feasibility of the scoring method. On this basis, this article further explores the relationship further through regression analysis. The experimental results provide a scientific and reasonable index for evaluating the comprehensive ability of enterprises, and also provide an important reference basis for investors' investment decisions.

Wild Genetic Resource in Vegetable Improvement: Applications and Strategies

Domestication of feral types of the present-day cultivated types was in vogue in earlier days of farming followed by the selection and hybridization that led to many improved varieties. Expression of traits faded due to the development of homozygosity due to repeated interventions in the same set. Relying on wild relatives that are found to be the source of many target genes is found significant. While, this is not so easy, because of the barriers that reside in distant hybridization, consequences like failure in zygote and embryo formation, embryo death, linkage drags, and incompatibility within wild and cultivated groups, etc are need of concern. Strategies like bridge crosses, somatic hybridization, grafting, embryo rescue, etc., techniques are solely or in combination can combat these issues. Vegetables are the group of crops that are mainly cultivated for their high returns and quality aspects for the healthy food routine of the consumer. This review will spotlight the recent advances in vegetable improvement through their wild relatives and available strategies to overcome the barriers to the usage of wild relatives in vegetable improvement, meanwhile the conservation of these resources for the future utilization in vegetable improvement.

Parametric Synthesis of Single-Stage Lattice-Type Acoustic Wave Filters and Extended Multi-Stage Design.

This study proposes a single-stage lattice-type acoustic filter using an analytical solution method for either a narrow passband filter or a wider passband filter using two kinds of parameter assignments in the Butterworth-Van Dyke (BVD) model. To achieve the goal of a large bandwidth or high return loss, two first-order all-pass conditions are used. For multi-stage lattice-type filters, the cost function is defined and design parameters are extracted by using pattern search, while the initial values are provided through single-stage design to shorten optimization time and allow convergence to a better solution. This method provides the S-parameter frequency response for the filter on the YX 42° cut angle of lithium tantalate (electromechanical coupling coefficient of about 6%) that can meet the system specifications as much as possible. Finally, the three-stage lattice-type was applied to various 5G bands with a fractional bandwidth of 2-5%, resulting in a passband return loss of 10 dB and an out-of-band rejection of 40 dB or more.