Financial Intermediation and Entry-Deterrence: A survey

In this paper, we summarize the findings of a series of our papers on the relationship between financial contracting and the game of entry-deterrence in a dynamic context.The incumbent has private information about its cost and enters into an agency relationship with a lender in each of the two periods. We examine the effect of this agency relationship on the probability of entry and limit pricing on the one hand and the effect of the game of entry-deterrence on the form of the financial contract on the other. The three papers make different assumptions about the uncertainty of demand and the informational structure.

Observing Enzymatic Production of Fatty Acids in the Mouth

As one of the leading preventable medical conditions in the world, obesity persists to exist within the global population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is defined as excessive fat accumulation. A more quantitative definition is Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a ratio of height and mass of an individual. Key benchmark levels, BMI \u3e 25 defining overweight and BMI \u3e 30 defining obese, have been implemented for decades in understanding and defining the population at risk. Figure 1 demonstrates the percentages of each national population\u27s obesity occurrences. Alarmingly increasing rates of obesity within the adult as well as juvenile population warrants concern and necessitates further research of the contributing factors. As a brief overview of the pandemic at hand, access to fast food, urbanization, high dietary salt, fat and simple sugars levels, genetic contribution as well as a decrease in physical activity has fostered a sedentary life and bad eating habits within the American population. To be overweight or obese can seriously harm an individual\u27s health. Commonly known consequences of such a lifestyle include heart disease, the primary cause of death in the United States, diabetes and asthma amongst other condition

The low-mass population in the young cluster Stock 8: Stellar properties and Initial Mass Function

The evolution of HII regions/supershells can trigger a new generation of stars/clusters at their peripheries, with environmental conditions that may affect the initial mass function, disk evolution and star formation efficiency. In this paper we study the stellar content and star formation processes in the young cluster Stock 8, which itself is thought to be formed during the expansion of a supershell. We present deep optical photometry along with JHK and 3.6, 4.5 {\mu}m photometry from UKIDSS and Spitzer-IRAC. We use multi-color criteria to identify the candidate young stellar objects in the region. Using evolutionary models, we obtain a median log(age) of ~6.5 (~3.0 Myr) with an observed age spread of ~0.25 dex for the cluster. Monte Carlo simulations of the population of Stock 8, based on estimates for the photometric uncertainty, differential reddening, binarity, and variability, indicate that these uncertainties introduce an age spread of ~0.15 dex. The intrinsic age spread in the cluster is ~0.2 dex. The fraction of young stellar objects surrounded by disk is ~35%. The K-band luminosity function of Stock 8 is similar to that of the Trapezium cluster. The IMF of Stock 8 has a Salpeter- like slope at >0.5 Msun and the IMF flattens and peaks at ~0.4 Msun, below which declines into the substellar regime. Although Stock 8 is surrounded by several massive stars, there seems to be no severe environmental effect in the form of IMF due to the proximity of massive stars around the cluster.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Comparative Analysis of HDFC Bank

“A comparative analysis of HDFC bank financial performance before and after acquisition with centurion bank of Punjab”. The HDFC Bank was incorporated on August 1994 by the name of 'HDFC Bank Limited', with its registered office in Mumbai, India. India's third-largest lender, HDFC Bank, is acquiring Centurion Bank of Punjab for about 95.1 billion rupees ($2.4 billion) in stock, extending its network before foreign institutions are allowed larger access to the Indian banking market next year. Centurion Bank merged with Bank of Punjab (at swap ratio to 4:9) to form Centurion Bank of Punjab. Finally on May 23, 2008, the one of India's most renowned banks - HDFC Bank acquired Centurion Bank of Punjab Methodology is defined to study of methods by which we again knowledge, it deals with cognitive processes imposed on research the problems arising from the nature of its subject matter. Ratio analysis is the calculation and comparison of various financial ratio derived company’s financial statements. Total Debt Ratio, Efficiency Ratio, Return on Average Asset Ratios, Asset Utilization, Return on assets (ROA), Equity Multiplier, Tax Ratio, Profit Margin The total share capital for the year 2010 is 457.7 is higher than the other year total share capital value. The company should increase the profit margin after the acquisition the profit margin it’s continually lower then following years. The HDFC Bank should take necessary steps to improve the return on asset. The HDFC Bank is performing well after the acquisition but some of the variable like profit margin, tax ratio, returns on asset, borrowing. If all these variables are rectified then the company gets more profit

Implementation of the DPM Monte Carlo code on a parallel architecture for treatment planning applications

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135058/1/mp6691a.pd

Evidence of a Sub-Saturn around EPIC~211945201

We report here strong evidence for a sub-Saturn around EPIC~211945201 and confirm its planetary nature. EPIC~211945201b was found to be a planetary candidate from {\it K2} photometry in Campaigns 5 \& 16, transiting a bright star ($V_{\rm mag}=10.15$, G0 spectral type) in a 19.492 day orbit. However, the photometric data combined with false positive probability calculations using VESPA was not sufficient to confirm the planetary scenario. Here we present high-resolution spectroscopic follow-up of the target using the PARAS spectrograph (19 radial velocity observations) over a time-baseline of 420 days. We conclusively rule out the possibility of an eclipsing binary system and confirm the 2-$\sigma$ detection of a sub-Saturn planet. The confirmed planet has a radius of 6.12$\pm0.1$$~R_{\oplus}$, and a mass of $27_{-12.6}^{+14}$~$M_{\oplus}$. We also place an upper limit on the mass (within the 3-$\sigma$ confidence interval) at 42~$M_{\oplus}$ above the nominal value. This results in the Saturn-like density of $0.65_{-0.30}^{+0.34}$ g~cm$^{-3}$. Based on the mass and radius, we provide a preliminary model-dependent estimate that the heavy element content is 60-70 \% of the total mass. This detection is important as it adds to a sparse catalog of confirmed exoplanets with masses between 10-70 $M_{\oplus}$ and radii between 4-8 $R_{\oplus}$, whose masses and radii are measured to a precision of 50\% or better (only 23 including this work).Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal, 17 pages, 8 figure

What stage are low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) at with patient safety curriculum implementation and what are the barriers to implementation? A two-stage cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The improvement of safety in healthcare worldwide depends in part on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of staff providing care. Greater patient safety content in health professional education and training programmes has been advocated internationally. While WHO Patient Safety Curriculum Guides (for Medical Schools and Multi-Professional Curricula) have been widely disseminated in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) over the last several years, little is known about patient safety curriculum implementation beyond high-income countries. The present study examines patient safety curriculum implementation in LMICs. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out. First, 88 technical officers in Ministries of Health and WHO country offices were surveyed to identify the pattern of patient safety curricula at country level. A second survey followed that gathered information from 71 people in a position to provide institution-level perspectives on patient safety curriculum implementation. RESULTS: The majority, 69% (30/44), of the countries were either considering whether to implement a patient safety curriculum or actively planning, rather than actually implementing, or embedding one. Most organisations recognised the need for patient safety education and training and felt a safety curriculum was compatible with the values of their organisation; however, important faculty-level barriers to patient safety curriculum implementation were identified. Key structural markers, such as dedicated financial resources and relevant assessment tools to evaluate trainees' patient safety knowledge and skills, were in place in fewer than half of organisations studied. CONCLUSIONS: Greater attention to patient safety curriculum implementation is needed. The barriers to patient safety curriculum implementation we identified in LMICs are not unique to these regions. We propose a framework to act as a global standard for patient safety curriculum implementation. Educating leaders through the system in order to embed patient safety culture in education and clinical settings is a critical first step

Young Stellar Population of the Bright-Rimmed Clouds BRC 5, BRC 7 and BRC 39

Bright-rimmed clouds (BRCs), illuminated and shaped by nearby OB stars, are potential sites of recent/ongoing star formation. Here we present an optical and infrared photometric study of three BRCs: BRC 5, BRC 7 and BRC 39 to obtain a census of the young stellar population, thereby inferring the star formation scenario, in these regions. In each BRC, the Class I sources are found to be located mostly near the bright rim or inside the cloud, whereas the Class II sources are preferentially outside, with younger sources closer to the rim. This provides strong support to sequential star formation triggered by radiation driven implosion due to the UV radiation. Moreover, each BRC contains a small group of young stars being revealed at its head, as the next-generation stars. In particular, the young stars at the heads of BRC 5 and BRC 7 are found to be intermediate/high mass stars, which, under proper conditions, may themselves trigger further star birth, thereby propagating star formation out to long distances.Comment: 30 pages, 7 Figures, 6 Tables, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Editorial Special Issue on Enhancement Algorithms, Methodologies and Technology for Spectral Sensing

The paper is an editorial issue on enhancement algorithms, methodologies and technology for spectral sensing and serves as a valuable and useful reference for researchers and technologists interested in the evolving state-of-the-art and/or the emerging science and technology base associated with spectral-based sensing and monitoring problem. This issue is particularly relevant to those seeking new and improved solutions for detecting chemical, biological, radiological and explosive threats on the land, sea, and in the air