2,857 research outputs found
BANKING EFFICIENCY AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION. IMPLICATIONS OF THE BANKING REFORM IN ROMANIA
The aim of this study is to analyze the influence that the European integrationprocess has had over the banking efficiency levels in those countries which have recentlyexperienced more intensely the European integration process. For this purpose we haveanalyzed, using stochastic frontier models (SFA), applied to panel data, bank efficiency levelsof a sample of 240 banks from 12 countries during the period 2000 to 2008. The resultssustain the hypothesis that the European integration process has significantly improved theefficiency levels in these countries. However, the improvements havenât appeared simply bythe accession to the EU, but have appeared during the process. In order to illustrate the results, we have analyzed the banking system in Romania inthe context of the European integration, a country which because of the delay in the initiationof the reforms, despite belonging to the EU, it hasnât still recorded the essential improvementsin banking efficiency associated to this process that the other new members have alreadyexperienced.banking efficiency, European integration, stochastic models, banking reform.
Visual control system for grip of glasses oriented to assistance robotics
Assistance robotics is presented as a means of improving the quality of life of people with disabilities, an application case is presented in assisted feeding. This paper presents the development of a system based on artificial intelligence techniques, for the grip of a glass, so that it does not slip during its manipulation by means of a robotic arm, as the liquid level varies. A faster R-CNN is used for the detection of the glass and the arm's gripper, and from the data obtained by the network, the mass of the beverage is estimated, and a delta of distance between the gripper and the liquid. These estimated values are used as inputs for a fuzzy system which has as output the torque that the motor that drives the gripper must exert. It was possible to obtain a 97.3% accuracy in the detection of the elements of interest in the environment with the faster R-CNN, and a 76% performance in the grips of the glass through the fuzzy algorithm
Influence of a football match on landing biomechanics and jump performance in female football players
This study aimed to assess the acute effect of a competitive football match on jump performance and kinematic parameters during jump landing in semiprofessional female football players. Twenty-two semiprofessional players (20 ± 3 years) underwent a drop jump task for a posterior video analysis of the landing phase. These measurements were obtained at (1) baseline, (2) after, and (3) 48 h after a competitive football match. A one-way ANOVA with repeated measures was employed to detect differences over the time. There was a main effect of time for maximal knee flexion angle during drop landing (p = 0.001). In comparison with baseline, maximal knee flexion angle was reduced immediately post-match and was still reduced 48 h after the match (63.4 ± 8.6 vs 57.0 ± 11.7 vs 48.9 ± 19.1, p †0.038). There was also a main effect of time for drop jump height (p < 0.001). Drop jump height was reduced immediately post-match and remained low 48 h after the match in comparison with baseline (27.3 ± 3.6 vs 24.5 ± 2.8 ~ 25.5 ± 3.0 cm, p †0.002). There was a main effect of time on hip flexion angle during landing (p = 0.001), but the pairwise comparison revealed that this variable was not affected immediately post-match but was lower 48 h after the match than at baseline (50.1 ± 10.1 ~ 50.8 ± 13.2 vs 38.1 ± 17.8 °, p †0.005). A competitive football match worsened jump performance and several landing biomechanical parameters in female football players, which were still decreased in comparison with baseline even 48 h after the match
Postoperative Corynebacterium macginleyi endophthalmitis
A 72-year-old man with chronic endophthalmitis who received steroid treatment
for 3 months came to our center. Sterile endophthalmitis after cataract extraction
had been diagnosed. Aqueous samples including smears, classic cultures, and
polymerase chain reaction were taken for microbiological study. Amplified DNA
was sequenced to identify the pathogen. Polymerase chain reaction amplification
was positive for bacteria. Sequence analysis showed Corynebacterium macginleyi
as the causal agent in 48 hours. The culture and smear stains from the ocular
samples were negative. The patient was successfully treated with vancomycin.
Polymerase chain reaction and subsequent DNA-typing were useful in detecting
the microorganisms that caused the chronic endophthalmitis
Reliability of a Field-Based Test for Hamstrings and Quadriceps Strength Assessment in Football Players
Background: Field-based tests using portable devices are extremely helpful to assist
physicians and coaches in the assessment of athletesâ muscle strength and for injury risk screening.
The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of a field-based test to assess unilateral
hamstring and quadriceps isometric muscle strength in a nearly extended position (30 knee flexion)
in football players. Methods: Nineteen male football players completed the field-based test on two
separate occasions, one week apart, to produce a testâretest design. To complete the test, participants
performed maximal isometric efforts on a custom-built bench with 30 of knee flexion and 90 of hip
flexion while the force applied was measured with a portable load cell at 80 Hz. On each occasion,
participants performed two 2 s maximal isometric repetitions intending to flex and extend the knee to
assess hamstring and quadriceps strength, respectively. In each repetition, the force developed during
the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and rate of force development (RFD) metrics
for hamstring (H) and quadriceps (Q) were collected, and the H:Q ratio was calculated afterwards.
Results: MVIC showed the highest reliability for the measurement of both hamstring and quadriceps
strength (ICC > 0.80, [95% CI: 0.55, 0.96]; CV 0.75, [95% CI:
0.48, 0.95]; CV < 15%, [95% CI: 8.9, 22.4]). RFD0â150 and RFD0â250 yielded moderate reliability values
for hamstring strength (ICC = 0.78â0.86, [95% CI: 0.52, 0.94]; CV = 20â27%, [95% CI: 15, 39.7]). RFD0â50
presented the largest variability (ICC 25%, [95% CI: 19.2, 45.3]).
Conclusions: The field-based test presented here provided reliable results for the measurement
of maximal isometric hamstring and quadriceps strength and for the calculation of the H:Q ratio.
However, the measurement of RFD with this test is less reliable. This test allows reliable field-based
assessments of hamstring and quadriceps maximal isometric strength which can be helpful to identify
muscle strength deficits and imbalances during injury prevention and management processes in
football players.Ministry of Universities of Spain (grant
number: FPU21/04536
Discrete Wavelet Transform Application to the Protection of Electrical Power System: A Solution Approach for Detecting and Locating Faults in FACTS Environment
Rapid Molecular Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Keratitis and Endophthalmitis Caused by Alternaria infectoria
The first case of Alternaria infectoria ocular infection is reported. Keratitis and endophthalmitis developed
after eye-perforating trauma from a lemon tree branch. Two months after surgery and empirical steroid and
antibiotic treatment, diagnosis by molecular methods was performed. PCR amplification was positive for a
fungus after 4 h. Antifungal treatment with amphotericin B and fluconazole was initiated immediately. DNA
sequence analysis showed Alternaria infectoria to be the causal agent. After topical and systemic administration
of antifungal treatment, ocular inflammation disappeared and visual acuity improved. DNA typing was found
to be a useful tool to achieve early identification of the causal agen
Impact of primary care nursing workforce characteristics on the control of high-blood pressure: A multilevel analysis
Objective: To determine the impact of Primary Health
Care (PHC) nursing workforce characteristics and of
the clinical practice environment (CPE) perceived by
nurses on the control of high-blood pressure (HBP).
Design: Cross-sectional analytical study.
Setting: Administrative and clinical registries of
hypertensive patients from PHC information systems
and questionnaire from PHC nurses.
Participants: 76 797 hypertensive patients in two
health zones within the Community of Madrid, North-
West Zone (NWZ) with a higher socioeconomic
situation and South-West Zone (SWZ) with a lower
socioeconomic situation, and 442 reference nurses.
Segmented analyses by area were made due to their
different socioeconomic characteristics. Primary
outcome measure: Poor HBP control (adequate figures
below the value 140/90 mm Hg) associated with the
characteristics of the nursing workforce and selfperceived
CPE.
Results: The prevalence of poor HBP control,
estimated by an empty multilevel model, was 33.5%
(95% CI 31.5% to 35.6%). In the multilevel
multivariate regression models, the perception of a
more favourable CPE was associated with a reduction
in poor control in NWZ men and SWZ women
(OR=0.99 (95% CI 0.98 to 0.99)); the economic
immigration conditions increased poor control in NWZ
women (OR=1.53 (95% CI 1.24 to 1.89)) and in SWZ,
both men (OR=1.89 (95% CI 1.43 to 2.51)) and
women (OR=1.39 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.76)). In all four
models, increasing the annual number of patient
consultations was associated with a reduction in poor
control (NWZ women: OR=0.98 (95% CI0.98 to 0.99);
NWZ men: OR=0.98 (95% CI 0.97 to 0.99); SWZ
women: OR=0.98 (95% CI 0.97 to 0.99); SWZ men:
OR=0.99 (95% CI 0.97 to 0.99).
Conclusions: A CPE, perceived by PHC nurses as
more favourable, and more patientânurse consultations,
contribute to better HBP control. Economic immigration
condition is a risk factor for poor HBP control. Health
policies oriented towards promoting positive
environments for nursing practice are neededThe results presented here form part of a study that has been
funded partially with the First Prize for National Research in Nursing
(12th edition) from Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla (Santander)
in 2010
Below Ground Benefits of Cactus \u3ci\u3eOpuntia stricta\u3c/i\u3e Under Rangeland Conditions in Laikipia, Kenya
Cactus Opuntia stricta primarily invades arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), which form more than 80% of Kenyaâs landmass. The ability of the plant to tolerate poor soils and accumulate biomass under low precipitation has resulted in studies into its potential use by pastoral communities for biofuel and livestock feed. However, few studies have assessed the below-ground benefits associated with cactus under rangeland conditions. In this study, we evaluated the root contributions of the invasives cactus Opuntia stricta under rangeland conditions in Laikipia, Kenya. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with ten (10) replicates, each measuring 30 Ă 30 m. Each block was further subdivided into three plots of 10 x 30m Three clusters were randomly selected from each plot for roots and soil samples starting from the center of the cluster (C) to the outside in a gradient of three radii, R1, R2 and R3. Data was collected for root (dry root biomass, % carbon and % nitrogen) and soil (pH, bulk density, % moisture and % nitrogen) characteristics. Significant differences in total root mass, root carbon, and root nitrogen were observed under varying cluster gradients. Root mass ranged from 4527.0 to 9242.0 kg/ha for the outermost radius (R3) and the clusterâs center, respectively. Similarly, except for the soil nitrogen, statistical differences were observed for soil bulk density, percent soil moisture and percent nitrogen along the different cluster gradients. The soil bulk density ranged from 1.2±0.02 (center) to 1.5±0.01 g cm3 (radius 2). Findings from this study demonstrate the important contribution of the invasive cactus species in sustaining the ecological functions of rangeland soils such as those found in Laikipia, Kenya
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