Evaluating the Wald Entropy from two-derivative terms in quadratic actions

We evaluate the Wald Noether charge entropy for a black hole in generalized theories of gravity. Expanding the Lagrangian to second order in gravitational perturbations, we show that contributions to the entropy density originate only from the coefficients of two-derivative terms. The same considerations are extended to include matter fields and to show that arbitrary powers of matter fields and their symmetrized covariant derivatives cannot contribute to the entropy density. We also explain how to use the linearized gravitational field equation rather than quadratic actions to obtain the same results. Several explicit examples are presented that allow us to clarify subtle points in the derivation and application of our method

Big Data Analytics for Smart Cities: The H2020 CLASS Project

Applying big-data technologies to field applications has resulted in several new needs. First, processing data across a compute continuum spanning from cloud to edge to devices, with varying capacity, architecture etc. Second, some computations need to be made predictable (real-time response), thus supporting both data-in-motion processing and larger-scale data-at-rest processing. Last, employing an event-driven programming model that supports mixing different APIs and models, such as Map/Reduce, CEP, sequential code, etc.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme under the CLASS Project (www.class-project.eu), grant agreement No. 780622.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Triethylphosphite as a network forming agent enhances in-vitro biocompatibility and corrosion protection of hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel coatings for Ti6Al4V alloys

The biocompatibility and life of metallic implants can be enhanced through improving the biocompatibility and corrosion protection characteristics of the coatings used with these materials. In this study, triethylphosphite (TEP) was used to introduce phosphorus into organic-inorganic hybrid silica based sol gel coatings prepared using γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane and tetramethylorthosilicate. Addition of TEP dramatically increased the rate of intermolecular condensation and resulted in materials showing greater cross linking. Protein (fibrinogen) uptake, osteoblast in vitro biocompatibility and corrosion resistance was enhanced in coatings containing TEP. Although higher concentrations of phosphorus supported the greatest improvement in biocompatibility, a compromise in the phosphorus concentration used would be required if corrosion resistance was most desirable parameter for optimisation. Films prepared by dip coating on Ti6Al4V alloys from these sols offer a promising alternative to wholly metallic prostheses

Productivity Changes and Risk Management in Indonesian Banking: An Application of a New Approach to Constructing Malmquist Indices

In this study, we utilise a new, non-parametric efficiency measurement approach which combines the semi-oriented radial measure data envelopment analysis (SORM-SBM-DEA) approach for dealing with negative data (Emrouznejad et al., 2010) with the slacks-based efficiency measures of Tone (2001, 2002) to analyse productivity changes for Indonesian banks over the period Quarter I 2003 to Quarter II 2007. Having constructed the Malmquist indices, using data provided by Bank Indonesia (the Indonesian central bank), for the banking industry and different bank types (i.e., listed and Islamic) and groupings, we then decomposed the industry’s Malmquist into its technical efficiency change and frontier shift components. Finally, we analysed the banks’ risk management performance, using Simar and Wilson’s (2007) truncated regression approach, before assessing its impact on productivity growth. The first part of the Malmquist analysis showed that average productivity changes for the Indonesian banking industry tended to be driven, over the sample period, by technological progress rather than by frontier shift, although a relatively stable pattern was exhibited for most of the period. However, at the beginning of the considered period, state-owned and foreign banks, as well as Islamic banks, exhibited volatile productivity movements, mainly caused by shifts in the technological frontier. With respect to the risk management analysis, most of the balance sheet variables were shown to have had the expected impact on risk management efficiency. While the risk management decomposition of technical efficiency change and frontier risk components demonstrated that, by the end of the sample period, the change in risk management efficiency and risk management effects had the same dynamic pattern, resulting in the analogous dynamics for technical efficiency changes. Therefore, a strategy based on the gradual adoption of newer technology, with a particular focus on internal risk management enhancement, seems to offer the highest potential for boosting the productivity of the financial intermediary operations of Indonesian banks.Indonesian Finance and Banking; Productivity; Efficiency.

A New Approach to Dealing With Negative Numbers in Efficiency Analysis: An Application to the Indonesian Banking Sector

In one of the first stand-alone studies covering the whole of the Indonesian banking industry, and utilising a unique dataset provided by the Indonesian central bank, this paper analyses the levels of intermediation-based efficiency obtaining during the period 2003-2007. Using a new approach (i.e., semi-oriented radial measure Data Envelopment Analysis, or ‘SORM DEA’) to handling negative numbers (Emrouznejad et al., 2010) and combining it with Tone’s (2001) slacks-based model (SBM) to form an input-oriented, non-parametric SORM SBM model, we firstly estimate the relative average efficiencies of Indonesian banks, both overall, by group, as determined by their ownership structure, and by status (‘listed’/’Islamic’). For robustness, a range-directional (RD) model suggested by Silva Portela et al. (2004) was also employed to handle the negative numbers. In the second part of the analysis, we adopt Simar and Wilson’s (2007) bootstrapping methodology to formally test for the impact of size, ownership structure and status on Indonesian bank efficiency. In addition, we formally test the two models most widely suggested in the literature for controlling for bank risk – namely, those involving the inclusion of provisions for loan losses and equity capital respectively as inputs – to check the robustness of the results to the choice of risk variable. The results demonstrate a high degree of sensitivity of the average bank efficiency scores to the choice of methodology for handling negative numbers – with the RD model consistently delivering efficiency scores some 14% on average above those from the SORM SBM model – and to the choice of risk control variable under the RD model, but only a limited sensitivity to the choice of risk control variable under the SORM SBM model. With respect to group rankings, most model combinations find the ‘state-owned’ group to be the most efficient, with average overall efficiency levels ranging between 64% and 97%; while all model combinations find the ‘regional government-owned’ group to be the least efficient, with average overall efficiency levels ranging between 41% and 64%. As for the impact of bank ‘status’ on the efficiency scores, both the Islamic banks and the listed banks perform better than the industry average in the majority of model combinations. Finally, the results for the impact of scale on the efficiency scores are ambiguous. Under the RD model, and irrespective of the choice of risk control variable, size is very important in determining intermediation-based efficiency. Under the SORM SBM model, however, large banks’ performance is not significantly different from that of the medium-sized banks when equity capital is used as the risk control variable, although the medium-sized banks do out-perform small banks. Moreover, when loan loss provisions are used as the risk control variable, medium-sized banks are shown to significantly out-perform both large and small banks, with the large banks being the least efficient.Indonesian Finance and Banking; Efficiency.

Incisions and reconstruction approaches for large sarcomas

Large intraabdominal, retroperitoneal, and abdominal wall sarcomas provide unique challenges in treatment due to their variable histology, potential considerable size at the time of diagnosis, and the ability to invade into critical structures. Historically, some of these tumors were considered inoperable if surgical access was limited or the consequential defect was unable to be closed primarily as reconstructive options were limited. Over time, there has been a greater understanding of the abdominal wall anatomy and mechanics, which has resulted in the development of new techniques to allow for sound oncologic resections and viable, durable options for abdominal wall reconstruction. Currently, intra-operative positioning and employment of a variety of abdominal and posterior trunk incisions have made more intraabdominal and retroperitoneal tumors accessible. Primary involvement or direct invasion of tumor into the abdominal wall is no longer prohibitive as utilization of advanced hernia repair techniques along with the application of vascularized tissue transfer have been shown to have the ability to repair large area defects involving multiple quadrants of the abdominal wall. Both local and distant free tissue transfer may be incorporated, depending on the size and location of the area needing reconstruction and what residual structures are remaining surrounding the resection bed. There is an emphasis on selecting the techniques that will be associated with the least amount of morbidity yet will restore and provide the appropriate structure and function necessary for the trunk. This review article summarizes both initial surgical incisional planning for the oncologic resection and a variety of repair options for the abdominal wall spanning the reconstructive ladder

Banking Efficiency and Stock Market Performance: An Analysis of Listed Indonesian Banks

This paper examines the monthly efficiency and productivity of listed Indonesian banks and their market performance through the prism of two modelling techniques, efficiency and super-efficiency, over the period January 2006 to July 2007. Within this research strategy we employ Tone’s (2001) non-parametric, Slacks-Based Model (SBM) and Tone’s (2002) super-efficiency SBM combining them with recent bootstrapping techniques, namely the non-parametric truncated regression analysis suggested by Simar and Wilson (2007). In the case of the SBM efficiency scores, the Simar and Wilson methodology was adapted to two truncations, whereas in the super-efficiency framework the original technique was utilised. As suggested by neo-classical theory, we find that the stock market values banks in accordance with their performance. Moreover, it is found that the JCI index of the Indonesian Stock Exchange is positively related to bank efficiency. Another interesting finding is that the coefficient for the share of foreign ownership is negative and statistically significant in the super-efficiency modelling. This suggests that Indonesian banks with foreign ownership tend to be less efficient than their domestic counterparts. Finally, Malmquist productivity results suggest that, over the study’s horizon, the sample banks displayed volatile productivity patterns in their profit-generating operations.Indonesian Banking, Emerging Markets, Productivity, Efficiency.

Leading healthy lives: lifestyle medicine for medical students

Background. Doctors have a special role in helping patients make lifestyle changes, and they are more credible and effective if they are role models. Yet few medical schools have incorporated lifestyle medicine into their curricula. We ascertained the influence of a lifestyle medicine curriculum during the first year of medical school. Methods. The curriculum, involving 140 students, consisted of one intensive day at medical school entry and 16 hours of teaching 8 months later. It addressed students’ own lifestyle choices and topics related to lifestyle medicine. A survey was delivered at the beginning and end of the academic year. Results. A total of 114 students completed the first survey and 64 the second. They rated the course highly for personal and professional value. At baseline, students exhibited lifestyle behaviors typical for young adults and showed an appreciation of the physician’s role in lifestyle change. However, over time they showed a significant reduction in quality of lifestyle, with increased stress, weight gain, and fast food consumption and less exercise. Conclusions. Although lifestyle medicine knowledge is valued by medical students, a 24-hour intensive lifestyle medicine curriculum delivered over 3 days appears to be ineffective in preventing worsening lifestyle behaviors over the course of the year. This is especially concerning as physicians are unlikely to provide effective guidance if they cannot sustain healthy behaviors themselves

Efficiency in Indonesian Banking: Recent Evidence

In one of the first stand-alone studies covering the whole of the Indonesian banking industry, and utilising a unique dataset provided by the Indonesian central bank, this paper analyses the levels of intermediation-based efficiency obtaining during 2007. Using Tone’s (2001) input-oriented, non-parametric, slacks-based DEA model, and modifying it where necessary to deal with negative inputs and outputs (Sharp et al. 2006), we firstly estimate the relative average efficiencies of Indonesian banks, both overall, and by group, as determined by their total asset size and status. In the second part of the analysis, we adopt Simar and Wilson’s (2007) bootstrapping methodology to eliminate the ‘bias’ in the efficiency estimates and to formally test for the impact of size and status on Indonesian bank efficiency. The results from the initial analysis show that: (i) average bank efficiency within the industry during 2007 lay between 62% – 67%; (ii) the most efficient group of banks was the ‘state-owned’ group with an average efficiency score of over 90%, with the least efficient group being the ‘regional government-owned’ banks with average efficiency scores between 45% and 58%; (iii) ‘listed banks’ performed better, on average, than ‘non-listed banks’; and (iv) ‘Islamic banks’, despite their different operational structure when compared with conventional banks, enjoyed average efficiency scores between 54% and 74%. In the second stage of the analysis, the bias-corrected efficiency scores demonstrate that ‘regional government-owned’, ‘foreign exchange’, ‘non-foreign exchange’, ‘joint-venture’ and ‘foreign’ groupings were significantly less efficient than ‘state-owned’ banks, with the first-mentioned being the most inefficient and the other groupings ranked in ascending order of efficiency, as listed. Moreover, large banks were shown to be more efficient than their smaller counterparts, providing support for Bank Indonesia’s consolidation policies.Indonesian Finance and Banking; Efficiency.