THE EFFECT OF CREDIT RISK AND CAPITAL ADEQUACY ON THE PROFITABILITY OF RURAL BANKS IN THE PHILIPPINES

This paper examines the credit risk and capital adequacy of the 567 rural banks in the Philippines to investigate how both variables affect bank profitability. Using the Arellano-Bond estimator, we found out that credit risk has a negative and statistically significant relationship with profitability. However, empirical analysis showed that capital adequacy has no significant impact on the profitability of rural banks in the Philippines. It is therefore necessary for the rural banks to examine more deeply if capital infusion would result in higher profitability than increasing debts. The study also implies that it is imperative for the banks to understand which risk factors have greater impact on their financial performance and use better risk-adjusted performance measurement to support their strategies. Rural banks should establish credit risk management that defines the process from initiation to approval of loans, taking into consideration the sound credit risk management practices issued by regulatory bodies. Moreover, rural banks need to enhance internal control measures to ensure the strict implementation of internal processes on lending operations.JEL Codes - G00, G2, G21, G21

Reasignación por necesidad de servicio como factor de vulneración de la unidad familiar en el personal subalterno de la 31° Brigada de Infantería del Ejército de Huancayo

El presente trabajo aborda una problemática generalizada en el ámbito militar castrense, los que se reflejan básicamente en la vulneración de los derechos fundamentales que todo ciudadano tiene; si bien es cierto que las fuerzas armadas están sometidas a disposiciones especiales, estas no pueden trasgredir los derechos fundamentales como el de tener un desarrollo personal equilibrado dentro de un ambiente sano y familiar, lo cual implica tener la estabilidad y permanencia en el ejercicio de sus funciones en determinada jurisdicción de carácter permanente y excepcionalmente desarrollar algunas tareas en otros circunscripciones territoriales cuando el caso amerité como calamidad y desastres naturales o convulsión social extrema los que se configuran por mandato constitucional; sin embargo estas disposiciones de rango constitucional han sido desbordadas por la decisiones emotivas e interesadas por determinados jefes y mandos militares en la zona central, específicamente en la 31º brigada de infantería del ejército en Huancayo. Estas consideraciones y problemática ha motivado el Desarrollo de la presente investigación para entender como “Reasignación por Necesidad de Servicio como Factor de Vulneración de la Unidad Familiar en el personal Subalterno de la 31º Brigada de Infantería del Ejército de Huancayo, 2018 - 2019” en cuyo caso el objetivo trazado ha sido “Describir cómo la reasignación por necesidad de servicio vulnera el derecho a la unidad familiar en el personal subalterno de la 31° brigada de infantería del ejército de Huancayo, 2018-2019”, estableciendo que la reasignación por necesidad de servicio genera la unidad familiar conforme establece nuestra hipótesis “La reasignación por necesidad de servicio vulnera de manera significativa el derecho de preservar la unidad familiar en el personal subalterno de la 31° brigada de infantería del ejército de Huancayo, 2018-2019”. Por lo que se sugiere establecer de manera taxativa cuales tendrían que ser las causas de manera puntual que generen la reasignación en el personal castrense

Impact on the soil and the infiltration as a consequence of oil palm cultivation (Elaeis guineensis jacq) in Tabasco

Objective: To evaluate the possible negative impacts on soil fertility, as a result of the soil use change from the grassland to oil palm. Design/methodology/approach: The following variables were evaluated: soil organic matter (SOM), bulk density (BD), mechanical penetration resistance (MPR), root system distribution, and infiltration in 5-, 11- and 25-year-old oil palm plantations, as well as in an adjoining grassland —whose land use had not changed to oil palm cultivation. Results: During the first years of cultivation, the substitution of the grassland for oil palm caused SOM losses, increased BD and MPR, and reduced infiltration levels. After 11 years, these effects became stable and were reversed. Therefore, in mature plantations of >25 years, the soil and infiltration conditions improved, even surpassing the grassland. These changes occur at a depth of 40 cm and are attributable to the SOM provided by the root system; consequently, root distribution does not block infiltration, becoming a beneficial factor, particularly in mature plantations. Study limitations/implications: The research must be replicated under other soil conditions, in order to observe the fertility behavior. Findings/conclusions: After the grassland is replaced by oil palm, soil fertility deteriorates during the first years; fertility becomes stable and recovers after 11 years. Meanwhile, the effect reverses and surpasses grassland fertility levels after 25 years

Incidence, Clinical Characteristics and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Spain : Large-Scale Epidemiological Study

(1) Aims: To assess the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Spain, to describe the main epidemiological and clinical characteristics at diagnosis and the evolution of the disease, and to explore the use of drug treatments. (2) Methods: Prospective, population-based nationwide registry. Adult patients diagnosed with IBD-Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) or IBD unclassified (IBD-U)-during 2017 in Spain were included and were followed-up for 1 year. (3) Results: We identified 3611 incident cases of IBD diagnosed during 2017 in 108 hospitals covering over 22 million inhabitants. The overall incidence (cases/100,000 person-years) was 16 for IBD, 7.5 for CD, 8 for UC, and 0.5 for IBD-U; 53% of patients were male and median age was 43 years (interquartile range = 31-56 years). During a median 12-month follow-up, 34% of patients were treated with systemic steroids, 25% with immunomodulators, 15% with biologics and 5.6% underwent surgery. The percentage of patients under these treatments was significantly higher in CD than UC and IBD-U. Use of systemic steroids and biologics was significantly higher in hospitals with high resources. In total, 28% of patients were hospitalized (35% CD and 22% UC patients, p < 0.01). (4) Conclusion: The incidence of IBD in Spain is rather high and similar to that reported in Northern Europe. IBD patients require substantial therapeutic resources, which are greater in CD and in hospitals with high resources, and much higher than previously reported. One third of patients are hospitalized in the first year after diagnosis and a relevant proportion undergo surgery

Correction : Chaparro et al. Incidence, Clinical Characteristics and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Spain: Large-Scale Epidemiological Study. J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10, 2885

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p&lt;0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p&lt;0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Percepción de la enseñanza científica y conocimientos de Metodología de la Investigación Científica en estudiantes de maestría

This research called “scientific education and knowledge of scientific research methodology in master's students”, it has like general objective to establish the relationship between scientific teaching and knowledge of Methodology of Scientific Research in Master's students. The sample was 94 students using stratified probabilistic sampling whom were given the two questionnaires with 35 items each to measure the response of scientific teaching with its five dimensions: motivation, use of audiovisual aids, application of techniques, realization of experiences (workshops) and practices (formulation of the project). For the descriptive data, statistical tables were used specifying quantities and frequencies per the obtained results, in order to test the hypothesis, we used the Spearman Rho correlation coefficient test. From the result analysis, the following conclusion was reached: the dimensions of the knowledge variable methodology of scientific research such as: research project and implementation of that project, it was evidenced that there is a moderate direct relationship with the scientific teaching of 0.516 and the level of significance was 0.000 (p <0.05) While the development dimension of the research project was the one that had the least correlation during the research processLa investigación tuvo como objetivo general establecer la relación entre la percepción de la enseñanza científica y conocimientos de Metodología de la Investigación Científica en estudiantes de maestría. La muestra fue de 94 estudiantes, para cuya selección se utilizó el muestreo probabilístico estratificado. Se les administró dos cuestionarios con 35 ítems, respectivamente, para medir la variable percepción de la enseñanza científica con sus respectivas cinco dimensiones: motivación, uso de ayudas audiovisuales, aplicación de técnicas, realización de experiencias (talleres) y prácticas (formulación del proyecto). Para los datos descriptivos se utilizó tablas estadísticas y para comprobar la hipótesis se utilizó la prueba de coeficiente de correlación de Rho de Spearman. Se concluye que las dimensiones de los conocimientos de metodología de la investigación científica, tales como proyecto de investigación y aplicación de dicho proyecto, presentan relación directa moderada con la percepción de la enseñanza científica de 0,516 y el p valor es 0,000 (p<0.01); mientras la dimensión del desarrollo del proyecto de investigación fue de 0, 410 y el p valor es 0,000 (p <0.01) también tuvo una relación directa moderada durante el proceso de investigación