How the credit channel works: differentiating the bank lending channel and the balance sheet channel

The credit channel of monetary policy transmission operates through changes in lending. To examine this channel, we explore how movements in the real federal funds rate affect bank lending. Using data on individual loans from the Survey of Terms of Bank Lending, we are able to differentiate two ways the credit channel can work: by affecting overall bank lending (the bank lending channel) and by affecting the allocation of loans (the balance sheet channel). We find evidence consistent with the operation of both internal credit channels. During periods of tight monetary policy, banks adjust their stock of loans by reducing the maturity of loan originations and they reallocate their short-term loan supply from small firms to large firms. These results are stronger for large banks than for small banks.Monetary policy ; Bank loans

A Review and Meta-Analysis of Age-Based Stereotype Threat: Negative Stereotypes, Not Facts, Do the Damage.

Stereotype threat effects arise when an individual feels at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their group and consequently underperforms on stereotype relevant tasks (Steele, 2010). Among older people, underperformance across cognitive and physical tasks is hypothesized to result from age-based stereotype threat (ABST) because of negative age-stereotypes regarding older adults’ competence. The present review and meta-analyses examine 22 published and 10 unpublished articles, including 82 effect sizes (N = 3882) investigating ABST on older people’s (Mage = 69.5) performance. The analysis revealed a significant small-to-medium effect of ABST (d = .28) and important moderators of the effect size. Specifically, older adults are more vulnerable to ABST when (a) stereotype-based rather than fact-based manipulations are used (d = .52); (b) when performance is tested using cognitive measures (d = .36); and (c) occurs reliably when the dependent variable is measured proximally to the manipulation. The review raises important theoretical and methodological issues, and areas for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved

Student health professionals' attitudes and experience after watching 'Ida's diary', a first-person account of living with borderline personality disorder:mixed methods study

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in the use of commercial movies in nursing education, or 'cinenurducation'. There is a need for educational interventions which target mental health nurses' attitudes towards people with borderline personality disorder.OBJECTIVES: To investigate and evaluate the experience and effects of attendance at a screening of the movie Ida’s Diary, a first-person account of living with borderline personality disorder.DESIGN: Mixed methods design comprising a within-subjects AB longitudinal survey, and a qualitative analysis of participant-generated data and researcher field notes from a World Ca-fé discussion group.SETTINGS: One university in Scotland.PARTICIPANTS: N=66 undergraduate and postgraduate mental health nursing and coun-selling students.METHODS: Participants completed measures of cognitive and emotional attitudes towards, and knowledge about, people with borderline personality disorder before and after one of two film screenings. We conducted a World Café discussion group after the second screen-ing. Resulting data were subject to a qualitative thematic analysis.RESULTS: Quantitative analysis revealed a five-factor cognitive and a single-factor emo-tional attitude structure. Cognitive-attitudinal items related to treatment deservingness and value of mixed treatment approaches improved across iterations. Total knowledge score did not change, but one item about borderline personality disorder as a precursor to schizophrenia received considerably more incorrect endorsement post-screening. Qualitative analysis re-vealed five themes: Facilitation and inhibition of learning; promotion but not satiation of appe-tite for knowledge; challenging existing understanding; prompting creativity and anxiety; and initiating thinking about the bigger picture.CONCLUSIONS: Participants found the film thought provoking; it increased their appetite for knowledge. Findings suggest that screening should be delivered in conjunction with more didactic information about borderline personality disorder

Spin physics with STAR

The STAR collaboration aims to study polarized proton-proton collisions at RHIC. The emphasis of the spin run this year is on transverse single spin asymmetries. Beyond 2001, we aim to determine directly and precisely the gluon polarization, as well as the polarizations of the u, $\bar{u}$, d and $\bar{d}$ quarks in the proton by measuring in addition longitudinal and double spin asymmetries. Furthermore, we aim to measure for the first time the quark transversity distributions. These measurements will improve substantially the knowledge and understanding of the spin structure of the nucleon.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. Talk presented at The 3rd Circum-Pan-Pacific Symposium on "High Energy Spin Physics" October 8-13 2001, Beijing, Chin

Curve number dependence on basic hydrologic variables governing runoff

The suitability of applying the NRCS Curve Number (CN) to continuous runoff prediction is examined by studying the dependence of the CN on several hydrologic variables. The continuous watershed model Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) is employed as a theoretical watershed in two numerical procedures designed to investigate the influence of soil type, soil depth, storm depth, storm distribution, and initial abstraction ratio value (lambda) on the CN. This study stems from a concurrent project involving the design of a computer modeling system to support the Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessments (CHIA) of over 230 watersheds throughout WV. A link between the CN and HSPF soil moisture parameters is proposed for continuous runoff simulation in surface mine affected watersheds in West Virginia. A soil physics model and numerical procedure have been developed to back calculate CN\u27s at Antecedent Runoff Condition (ARC) II from synthetic rainfall input and simulated direct runoff. A second method of CN determination is also described to provide a reference to the calculated CN values. Each HSPF parameter set, determined through calibration and by the soil physics model, is treated as a unique hypothetical watershed. It was found that the calculated CN\u27s are highly dependent on all of the computational variables, therefore the use of the CN in continuous modeling based on antecedent soil moisture or rainfall alone does not appear to be appropriate. Differences between lambda = 0.05 and lambda = 0.2 are seen predominantly in the lower storm depth calculations. It is suggested that a different symbol be used to distinguish classic CN\u27s from continuous CN\u27s