Bank capital and loan loss reserves under Basel II - implications for emerging countries

The authors propose an integrated approach to minimum bank capital, and loan loss reserves regulation. They break new ground in two main areas. First, the authors provide an explicit measurement of the credit loss distribution for a sample of emerging countries, providing a benchmark for discussing the appropriate calibration of new regulatory capital, and loan loss provision requirements for non-G10 countries. Second, on normative grounds, they propose a simplified version of the"internal rating based"(IRB) approach as a transition tool that, while retaining a risk-based definition of solvency ratios, implies reduced supervisory monitoring costs, and could therefore be of interest to emerging countries, where supervisory resources are particularly scarce.Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Banking Law,Financial Intermediation,Banks&Banking Reform,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Financial Intermediation,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Banks&Banking Reform,Banking Law,Insurance&Risk Mitigation

Using animated videos and prompt delay procedures to train children with autism to label situation-based emotions

Research has indicated that individuals with ASD have deficits in the ability to correctly identify and interpret the emotions and feelings of others. The ability to recognize the emotions of others has shown to be extremely beneficial in a number of ways. On the other hand, the inability to recognize the emotions of others has been linked to a number of negative outcomes, including inappropriate behaviors, as well as mental health, personal, social, and academic difficulties. The purpose of the current study was to extend the previous literature on effective strategies for teaching individuals with ASD to correctly label the situation-based emotions of others. Overall, the current study’s results suggest that an intervention package combining animated videos with prompt delay, error correction, and reinforcement procedures was effective in teaching participants the ability to label situation-specific emotions. Additionally, the current study’s results also supported the idea that individuals with ASD have stronger deficits in recognizing negative emotions, such as sad, mad, and afraid, as compared to positive emotions, such as happy. Future research should continue to focus on exploring the generalization and maintenance of these results

“Participation and Life Skill Development of the Tennessee Junior Livestock Skillathon Programs

This study examined the Tennessee Junior Livestock Skillathon Program and its objectives. Research was conducted to determine what motivates or deters youth participation, how youth prepare for the skillathon and life skill development in the areas of communication, critical thinking and self-confidence. A self-developed, eleven question, likert scale survey was mailed to 200 randomly selected youth that exhibited livestock in the 2003 Tennessee Junior Livestock beef, sheep or market hog shows. Fifty-two percent (112) participants responded. Youth that participate in the skillathon do so because they want to see how much they know about their project and they felt the skillathon was an enjoyable experience that allowed them the opportunity to gain recognition. Those that did not participate in the skillathon indicated that they did not want to participate and they were not prepared. Nine preparation methods were identified for youth to determine how they study for the skillathon. The most popular method was studying with a friend or parent. Life skill development was the last component of the survey. Ninety percent of youth indicated that they did gain communication and critical thinking skills. Eighty percent of respondents indicated a gain in self-confidence as a result of participating the skillathon

Improving credit information, bank regulation, and supervision : on the role and design of public credit registries

The authors analyze how data in public credit registries can be used both to strengthen bank supervision and to improve the quality of credit analysis by financial institutions. Empirical tests using public credit registry (PCR) data were performed in collaboration with the central banks in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. The results of the empirical tests confirm the value of the data for credit risk evaluation and provide insights regarding its use in supervision, including in calculations of credit risk for capital and provisioning requirements, or as a check on a bank's internal ratings for the Basel II's internal rating-based approach. The authors also define a set of critical design parameters and use the results to comment on appropriate public registry design. Finally, they discuss the relationship between the different objectives of a PCR and how they influence the registry's design.Environmental Economics&Policies,Financial Intermediation,Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Banks&Banking Reform,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Financial Intermediation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Banks&Banking Reform,Strategic Debt Management

What counts as good evidence

Making better use of evidence is essential if public services are to deliver more for less. Central to this challenge is the need for a clearer understanding about standards of evidence that can be applied to the research informing social policy. This paper reviews the extent to which it is possible to reach a workable consensus on ways of identifying and labelling evidence. It does this by exploring the efforts made to date and the debates that have ensued. Throughout, the focus is on evidence that is underpinned by research, rather than other sources of evidence such as expert opinion or stakeholder views.Publisher PD

Why are health care interventions delivered over the internet? : a systematic review of the published literature

Background: As Internet use grows, health interventions are increasingly being delivered online. Pioneering researchers are using the networking potential of the Internet, and several of them have evaluated these interventions. Objective: The objective was to review the reasons why health interventions have been delivered on the Internet and to reflect on the work of the pioneers in this field in order to inform future research. Methods: We conducted a qualitative systematic review of peer-reviewed evaluations of health interventions delivered to a known client/patient group using networked features of the Internet. Papers were reviewed for the reasons given for using the Internet, and these reasons were categorized. Results: We included studies evaluating 28 interventions plus 9 interventions that were evaluated in pilot studies. The interventions were aimed at a range of health conditions. Reasons for Internet delivery included low cost and resource implications due to the nature of the technology; reducing cost and increasing convenience for users; reduction of health service costs; overcoming isolation of users; the need for timely information; stigma reduction; and increased user and supplier control of the intervention. A small number of studies gave the existence of Internet interventions as the only reason for undertaking an evaluation of this mode of delivery. Conclusions: One must remain alert for the unintended effects of Internet delivery of health interventions due to the potential for reinforcing the problems that the intervention was designed to help. Internet delivery overcomes isolation of time, mobility, and geography, but it may not be a substitute for face-to-face contact. Future evaluations need to incorporate the evaluation of cost, not only to the health service but also to users and their social networks. When researchers report the outcomes of Internet-delivered health care interventions, it is important that they clearly state why they chose to use the Internet, preferably backing up their decision with theoretical models and exploratory work. Evaluation of the effectiveness of a health care intervention delivered by the Internet needs to include comparison with more traditional modes of delivery to answer the following question: What are the added benefits or disadvantages of Internet use that are particular to this mode of delivery

Cyber Business Law and Project-Based Learning

This article describes a project-based learning pedagogical approach to learning legal concepts that transforms these concepts into managerial propositions for students, especially for computer information systems and business administration majors.  This pedagogy provides opportunities and experiences for students to become sensitive enough to real-world topics that they can posit a question to a legal professional regarding cyber business laws.  The hands-on project-based learning method is an engaging and interactive way to learn the information in a group environment, and then it requires the student to demonstrate knowledge at the individual level.  The data collected for this study suggests that the project-based learning style is effective for learning legal concepts

Implementing a graduate nursing program at a distance through an urban-rural partnership.

The purposes of this poster presentation are to 1) describe the implementation of a master’s of science in nursing (MSN) program by providing access to rigorous distance education to students living in rural Pennsylvania; 2) discuss building a critical mass of master’s prepared advanced practice nurse experts in rural communities; and 3) share formative and summative evaluation information. Through funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Division of Nursing, the Jefferson School of Nursing (JSN) expanded its MSN program currently offered at the urban Philadelphia campus to the rural campus in Danville. Using the methodologies of live web-casting and live video over the Internet, distance students are afforded the opportunity to participate in a live classroom setting rather than experience the static distance methodology of reading through lectures themselves. For example, during the clinical courses, the faculty teaches onsite in Philadelphia webcasting to students in their rural homes so that they can view and hear the lecture. These newer technologies make possible real-time faculty-student dialogue, student-to-student dialogue, and enhance socialization. Furthermore, the use of advanced technologies allows distance students to discuss with peers and faculty alike, in real time, the problems, successes, and questions which arise during class and clinical practica, thereby enhancing critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills. This urban-rural partnership addresses increasing demands for educating greater numbers of master’s prepared advanced practice nurses to work in north and central rural Pennsylvania thus promoting access to health care in rural underserved communities

A Study of Riders\u27 Noise Exposure on Bay Area Rapid Transit Trains

Excessive noise exposure may present a hazard to hearing, cardiovascular and psychosomatic health. Mass transit systems, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, are potential sources of excessive noise. The purpose of this study was to characterize transit noise and riders\u27 exposure to noise on the BART system using three dosimetry metrics. We made 268 dosimetry measurements on a convenience sample of 51 line segments. Dosimetry measures were modeled using linear and non-linear multiple regression as functions of average velocity, tunnel enclosure, flooring, and wet weather conditions, and presented visually on a map of the BART system. This study provides evidence of levels of hazardous levels of noise exposure in all three dosimetry metrics. L and L measures indicate exposures well above ranges associated with increased cardiovascular and psychosomatic health risks in the published literature. L indicate acute exposures hazardous to adult hearing on about 1% of line segment rides and acute exposures hazardous to child hearing on about 2% of such rides. The noise to which passengers are exposed may be due to train-specific conditions (velocity and flooring), but also to rail conditions (velocity and tunnels). These findings may point at possible remediation (revised speed limits on longer segments and those segments enclosed by tunnels). The findings also suggest that specific rail segments could be improved for noise

Implementing a Practice Doctorate Program at a Distance through an Urban-Rural Partnership

The purposes of this poster presentation are to 1) describe the implementation of a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program by providing access to rigorous distance education to students living in rural Pennsylvania; 2) discuss building a critical mass of doctorally prepared advanced practice nurse experts in both urban and rural communities; and 3) share formative and summative evaluation information. Through funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Division of Nursing, the Jefferson School of Nursing (JSN) expanded its DNP program currently offered at the urban Philadelphia campus to the rural campus in Danville. Using the methodologies of live web-casting and live video over the Internet, distance students are afforded the opportunity to participate in a live classroom setting rather than experience the static distance methodology of reading through lectures themselves. For example, during the applied biostatistics course, the faculty teaches onsite in Philadelphia projecting the SPSS and the database on screen so that students on both campuses can simultaneously view, hear, and interact with the discussion. There is a doctorally prepared faculty member onsite in Danville as a resource for the students. These newer technologies make possible real-time faculty-student dialogue, student-to-student dialogue, and enhance socialization. Furthermore, the use of advanced technologies allows distance students to discuss with peers and faculty alike, in real time, the problems, successes, and questions which arise during class and clinical practica, thereby enhancing critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills. This unique urban-rural partnership, made possible through advanced technologies, addresses increasing demands for educating greater numbers of doctorally prepared advanced practice nurses to work in north and central rural Pennsylvania, thus promoting access to health care in rural underserved communities. Other than in academia, there are no doctorally prepared advanced practice nurses employed in practice in the area