Essays on banking efficiency, access to finance and firm performance in China

This thesis aims to contribute to the under-researched area of China's financial system and its role of fostering firm growth. This is achieved by investigating three aspects of the efficiency of the Chinese financial system. The first aspect focuses on the suppliers of financial resources (i.e. banks) and examines the cost efficiency and productivity growth of the Chinese banking industry. The second aspect considers the recipients of finance---manufacturing firms, and investigates how source of finance in firm's capital structure affects its growth performance. The third aspect concentrates on a particular growth channel (exporting) and investigates the interaction between access to domestic finance, foreign direct investment, and the exports of private enterprises. Overall, I find that the Chinese banks lack cost efficiency, the allocation of financial resources through state-owned financial institutions is inefficient, and there is a positive association between access to finance and export market orientation

Significant Association of Glutathione S-Transferase T1 Null Genotype with Prostate Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of 26,393 Subjects

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Recent studies on the association between Glutathione S-transferase T1 (<em>GSTT1</em>) polymorphism and risk of prostate cancer showed inconclusive results. To clarify this possible association, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>Data were collected from the following electronic databases: Pubmed, Embase, and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM). The odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was used to assess the strength of the association. We summarized the data on the association between <em>GSTT1</em> null genotype and risk of prostate cancer in the overall population, and performed subgroup analyses by ethnicity, adjusted ORs, and types of controls.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>Ultimately, a total of 43 studies with a total of 26,393 subjects (9,934 cases and 16,459 controls) were eligible for meta-analysis. Overall, there was a significant association between <em>GSTT1</em> null genotype and increased risk of prostate cancer (OR = 1.14, 95%CI 1.01–1.29, P = 0.034). Meta-analysis of adjusted ORs also showed a significant association between <em>GSTT1</em> null genotype and increased risk of prostate cancer (OR = 1.34, 95%CI 1.09–1.64, P = 0.006). Similar results were found in the subgroup analyses by ethnicity and types of controls.</p> <h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This meta-analysis demonstrates that <em>GSTT1</em> null genotype is associated with prostate cancer susceptibility, and <em>GSTT1</em> null genotype contributes to increased risk of prostate cancer.</p> </div

Funnel plot to assess the publication bias of the studies in this meta-analysis.

<p>Funnel plot to assess the publication bias of the studies in this meta-analysis.</p

The main differences in the findings between present meta-analysis and previous published meta-analyses.

<p>The main differences in the findings between present meta-analysis and previous published meta-analyses.</p

Summary of meta-analysis for <i>GSTT1</i> null genotype with prostate cancer risk.

<p>(GSTT1, Glutathione S-transferase T1; 95%CI, 95% confidence interval; OR, odds ratio; BPH, benign prostate hyperplasia).</p

Characteristics of 43 eligible studies in this meta-analysis.

<p>Characteristics of 43 eligible studies in this meta-analysis.</p

General Trends in the Performance of Quantum Dot Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) Revealed Using the “Effective LSC Quality Factor”

CuInSe2–xSx (CISeS) quantum dots (QDs) are promising materials for implementing luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). Their benefits include near-infrared (NIR) absorption onset, efficient NIR photoluminescence (PL), and low reabsorption losses stemming from the intragap character of their emission. To streamline optimization of CISeS QDs for LSC applications, we develop an analytical model which allows us to relate the absorptance-optimized external quantum efficiency (EQE) to the QD PL quantum yield (QY) and the “effective LSC quality factor”, ⟨Q⟩, used to characterize the interplay between the QD’s light-harvesting ability and self-induced reabsorption losses. Specifically, we show that the peak EQE can be approximated by the product of QY and log­(⟨Q⟩), the conclusion validated by the numerical analysis of 47 QD samples. Interestingly, according to the modeling, the QDs with ⟨Q⟩ = 10.5 and QY = 78% were expected to yield the highest EQE in the surveyed group (11.8% for LSC dimensions 9.5 × 9.5 × 0.77 cm3). This prediction was confirmed by experimental measurements that indicated an EQE of 11.7% for this particular sample. We anticipate that the developed formalism will simplify optimization of CISeS QDs for LSC applications and facilitate further developments in the LSC area

Unadjusted OR with its 95%CI for the association between <i>GSTT1</i> null genotype and risk of prostate cancer.

<p>Unadjusted OR with its 95%CI for the association between <i>GSTT1</i> null genotype and risk of prostate cancer.</p

Adjusted OR with its 95%CI for the association between <i>GSTT1</i> null genotype and risk of prostate cancer.

<p>Adjusted OR with its 95%CI for the association between <i>GSTT1</i> null genotype and risk of prostate cancer.</p

The multiferroic properties of Pb3Fe2F12

The refinement details of Pb3Fe2F12