136 research outputs found
How Sensitive Are Bank Managers to Shareholder Value?
Cataloged from PDF version of article.We test for the existence of market discipline by shareholders of banks
with a wide range of ownership structures. Discipline by shareholders manifests
itself through monitoring banks’ level of risk as well as through influencing banks’
management actions. We find that shareholders utilize the relation between stock
returns and different types of risk measures to monitor risky banks. Shareholders
partially influence bank management by responding to decreasing stock returns with
a demand to improve loan quality. Moreover, the influence on management in small
banks is more pronounced compared to large banks
Digital maturity and its determinants in General Practice: a cross- sectional study in 20 countries
Background: The extent to which digital technologies are employed to promote the delivery of high-quality healthcare is known as Digital Maturity. Individual and systemic digital maturity are both necessary to ensure a successful, scalable and sustainable digital transformation in healthcare. However, digital maturity in primary care has been scarcely evaluated. Objectives: This study assessed the digital maturity in General Practice (GP) globally and evaluated its association with participants' demographic characteristics, practice characteristics and features of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) use. Methods: GPs across 20 countries completed an online questionnaire between June and September 2020. Demographic data, practice characteristics, and features of EHRs use were collected. Digital maturity was evaluated through a framework based on usage, resources and abilities (divided in this study in its collective and individual components), interoperability, general evaluation methods and impact of digital technologies. Each dimension was rated as 1 or 0. The digital maturity score was calculated as the sum of the six dimensions and ranged between 0 to 6 (maximum digital maturity). Multivariable linear regression was used to model the total score, while multivariable logistic regression was used to model the probability of meeting each dimension of the score. Results: One thousand six hundred GPs (61% female, 68% Europeans) participated. GPs had a median digital maturity of 4 (P25–P75: 3–5). Positive associations with digital maturity were found with: male gender [B = 0.18 (95% CI 0.01; 0.36)], use of EHRs for longer periods [B = 0.45 (95% CI 0.35; 0.54)] and higher frequencies of access to EHRs [B = 0.33 (95% CI 0.17; 0.48)]. Practicing in a rural setting was negatively associated with digital maturity [B = −0.25 (95%CI −0.43; −0.08)]. Usage (90%) was the most acknowledged dimension while interoperability (47%) and use of best practice general evaluation methods (28%) were the least. Shorter durations of EHRs use were negatively associated with all digital maturity dimensions (aOR from 0.09 to 0.77). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated notable factors that impact digital maturity and exposed discrepancies in digital transformation across healthcare settings. It provides guidance for policymakers to develop more efficacious interventions to hasten the digital transformation of General Practice
Healthy diet in primary care: views of general practitioners and nurses from Europe
Background: Most of the national colleges of general practitioners (GPs) do not have their own dietary/nutritional tools, and GPs and nurses do not have the time, knowledge, or skills to advise their patients about desirable dietary practices. Objective: To assess the usefulness of a simple and practical guide on healthy diet to be used by European GPs and nurses. Design: A postal survey was mailed to 171 GPs and nurses from 12 European countries to obtain information about the usefulness of a guide on healthy diet developed by EUROPREV. Results: The perception of health professionals is that the main source of information on healthy diet for the population was the media. In all, 95% of GPs and nurses reported that the guide was useful; 93, 95, and 82% reported that the concepts were concise, easy to understand, and realistic, respectively. Also, 77% reported that the type of counselling recommended was feasible and could be applied, 94% reported that the implementation measures proposed could be effective and 88% reported that the Traditional Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is useful, but some concerns about the content were mentioned. Conclusions: GPs and nurses from Europe think that a practical guide on healthy diet developed by EUROPREV could be used to advise patients in primary care, although the Traditional Mediterranean Diet Pyramid should be modified
AIDS knowledge and attitudes in a Turkish population: an epidemiological study
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate and present some pertinent comments concerning Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) knowledge, attitudes and misconceptions among the general population in a city of west Turkey. This study was deemed important and relevant due to the increasing importance of AIDS in Turkey and the other countries. METHODS: Using a multistage area sampling method, a random sample of individuals aged 11–83 years, living in 65 different quarters in the city of Eskisehir, Turkey during September, October and November 2004 were interviewed. RESULTS: In all, 1048 respondents completed the survey. In most items, respondents displayed a fairly good to excellent degree of knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Individuals with higher degrees of education indicated more correct responses in all items relating to knowledge of HIV/AIDS. In general, the respondents' attitudes towards AIDS and people with AIDS were found to be tolerant and positive, with one answer choice showing that the majority of the respondents agreed with the statement that those with HIV/AIDS must be supported, treated and helped (90.7%). Moreover, the proportions of the respondents' misconceptions were found to be significantly low for all the items. However, nearly one fourth of the respondents agreed with the misconceptions 'AIDS is a punishment by God' and 'One is not infected with HIV/AIDS if engaged in sport and well nourished'. CONCLUSION: In general HIV/AIDS related knowledge was high and people showed positive attitudes. However, people continue to hold misconceptions about AIDS and these need to be addressed by health education programs targeting those at higher risk
Disruption of Lateral Efferent Pathways: Functional Changes in Auditory Evoked Responses
The functional consequences of selectively lesioning the lateral olivocochlear efferent system in guinea pigs were studied. The lateral superior olive (LSO) contains the cell bodies of lateral olivocochlear neurons. Melittin, a cytotoxic chemical, was injected into the brain stem using stereotaxic coordinates and near-field evoked potentials to target the LSO. Brain stem histology revealed discrete damage to the LSO following the injections. Functional consequences of this damage were reflected in depressed amplitude of the compound action potential of the eighth nerve (CAP) following the lesion. Threshold sensitivity and N1 latencies were relatively unchanged. Onset adaptation of the cubic distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) was evident, suggesting a reasonably intact medial efferent system. The present results provide the first report of functional changes induced by isolated manipulation of the lateral efferent pathway. They also confirm the suggestion that changes in single-unit auditory nerve activity after cutting the olivocochlear bundle are probably a consequence of disrupting the more lateral of the two olivocochlear efferent pathways.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41379/1/10162_2002_Article_3018.pd
Intersubband optical absorption coefficients and refractive index changes in modulation-doped asymmetric double quantum well
The linear and the third-order nonlinear optical absorption coefficients and refractive index changes in a modulation-doped asymmetric double quantum well are studied theoretically. The electron energy levels and the envelope wave functions in this structure are calculated by the Schrodinger and Poisson equations self-consistently in the effective mass approximation. The analytical expressions of optical properties are obtained by using the compact density-matrix approach. In this regard, the linear, nonlinear and total intersubband absorption coefficients and refractive index changes are investigated as a function of right-well width (Lw(2)) of asymmetric double quantum well. Our results show that the total absorption coefficients and refractive index changes shift toward higher energies as the right-well width decreases. In addition, the total optical absorption coefficients and refractive index changes is strongly dependent on the incident optical intensity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Binding energies of donor impurities in modulation-doped GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs double quantum wells under an electric field
In this study, we have investigated theoretically the binding energies of shallow donor impurities in modulation-doped GaAs/Al0.33Ga0.67 As double quantum wells (DQWs) under an electric field which is applied along the growth direction for different doping concentrations as a function of the impurity position. The electronic structure of modulation-doped DQWs under an electric field has been investigated by using a self-consistent calculation in the effective-mass approximation. The results obtained show that the carrier density and the depth of the quantum wells in semiconductors may be tuned by changing the doping concentration, the electric field and the structure parameters such as the well and barrier widths. This tunability gives a possibility of use in many electronic and optical devices. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND BAND BENDING OF MODULATION-DOPED GaAs/Al-x Ga1-xAs SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC DOUBLE QUANTUM WELLS UNDER AN APPLIED ELECTRIC FIELD
In this study, we have calculated theoretically the effects of the electric field and doping concentration on the sub-band energies, the electron population, and total charge density in modulation-doped symmetric and asymmetric GaAs/Al0.33Ga0.67As double quantum wells. Electronic properties of the system are determined by the solving the Schrodinger and Poisson equations self-consistently in the effective-mass approximation. The application of an electric field in the growth direction of the system causes a polarization of the carrier distribution and shifts the sub-band energies, which may be used to control and modulate intensity output devices. In an asymmetric double-quantum-well structure, the effects mentioned above appear more clearly
Impurity-related linear and nonlinear optical response in quantum-well wires with triangular cross section
ABSTRACT: The 1s-like and 2p-like donor impurity energy states are studied in a semiconductor quantum wire of
equilateral triangular cross section as functions of the impurity position and the geometrical size of the
structure. Linear and nonlinear coefficients for the optical absorption and relative refractive index change
associated with 1s-2p transitions are calculated for both the x-polarization and y-polarization of the
incident light. The results show a mixed effect of redshift and blueshift depending on the location of the
donor atom. Also, strong nonlinear contributions to the optical absorption coefficient are obtained for
both polarizations in the on-center impurity case
The hydrostatic pressure and temperature effects on donor impurities in cylindrical quantum wire under the magnetic field
The combined effects of hydrostatic pressure and temperature on donor impurity binding energy in cylindrical GaAs/Ga0.7Al0.3As quantum wire in the presence of the magnetic field have been studied by using a variational technique within the effective-mass approximation. The results show that an increment in temperature results in a decrement in donor impurity binding energy while an increment in the pressure for the same temperature enhances the binding energy and the pressure effects on donor binding energy are lower than those due to the magnetic field. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
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