An efficiency analysis of banking systems: a comparison of European and United States large commercial banks using different functional forms.

This paper aims at investigation the efficiency of European and U.S. commercial banks. Scale and scope economies indicators, as well as a measurement of X-efficiency are derived from three cost functions: Fourier flexible form, translog and Box-Cox. This allows checking the stability and the robustness of the evidence across the different specifications. Our results over the period 1995-98 show that overall the average cost curve is relatively flat with some evidence of scale efficiency gains. More puzzling are the results on the presence of scope economies.

Synchronization and Peak-to-Peak Dynamics in Networks of Low-Dimensional Chaotic Oscillators

In this paper we study the relationships between local and global properties in networks of dynamical systems by focusing on two global properties, synchronization and peak-to-peak dynamics, and on two local properties, coherence of the components of the network and coupling strength. The analysis is restricted to networks of low-dimensional chaotic oscillators, i.e. oscillators which have peak-to-peak dynamics when they work in isolation. The results are obtained through simulation, first by considering pairs of coupled Lorenz, Roessler and Chua systems, and then by studying the behavior of spatially extended tritrophic food chains described by the Rosenzweig-MacArthur model. The conclusion is that synchronization and peak-to-peak dynamics are different aspects of the same collective behavior, which is easily obtained by enhancing local coupling and coherence. The importance of this findings is briefly discussed within the context of ecological modeling

The essential oil of Thymbra capitata and its application as a biocide on stone and derived surfaces

Many chemicals used nowadays for the preservation of cultural heritage pose a risk to both human health and the environment. Thus, it is desirable to find new and eco-friendly biocides that can replace the synthetic ones. In this regard, plant essential oils represent effective alternatives to synthetic substances for the preservation of historical monuments. Thymbra capitata (syn. Thymus capitatus) is a medicinal and aromatic plant growing in the Mediterranean area and endowed with important pharmacological properties related to its essential oil. Among them, the antimicrobial ones make the T. capitata essential oil an ideal candidate for industrial applications; for instance, as biocide for the inhibition and elimination of biological patinas of cyanobacteria and green algae on historical monuments. In the present work, we studied the chemical composition of the essential oil from T. capitata growing in Malta by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major volatile component is the phenolic monoterpene carvacrol (73.2%), which is capable of damaging the cytoplasmic membrane and to interfere both in the growth curve and in the invasive capacity, though the contribution of minor components γ-terpinene and p-cymene cannot be disregarded. For the oil application on the stone surface, Pickering emulsions systems were prepared with an essential oil/water 1:3 mass ratio stabilized with kaolinite at 4 mass% in the presence of Laponite®; this allowed to limit the fast volatility of the oil and guaranteed a better application and an easier removal from the artefacts attacked by biodeteriogens both indoor and outdoor. This formulation caused the elimination of biodeteriogens from treated surfaces without residuals or films on artworks surface, and the effect was retained up to four months

Detection and Continuation of a Border Collision Bifurcation in a Forest Fire Model

The behavior of the simplest forest fire model is studied in this paper through bifurcation analysis. The model is a second-order continuous-time impact model where vegetational growth is described as a continuous and slow dynamic process, while fires are modeled as instantaneous and disruptive events. The transition from Mediterranean forests (characterized by wild chaotic fire regimes) to savannas and boreal forests (where fires are almost periodic) is recognized to be a catastrophic transition known as border collision bifurcation in the context of discrete-tine systems. In the present case such a bifurcation can be easily detected numerically and then continued by solving a standard boundary-value problem. The result of the analysis complements previous simulation studies and are consistent with biological intuition

Predictive Monitoring of Business Processes

Modern information systems that support complex business processes generally maintain significant amounts of process execution data, particularly records of events corresponding to the execution of activities (event logs). In this paper, we present an approach to analyze such event logs in order to predictively monitor business goals during business process execution. At any point during an execution of a process, the user can define business goals in the form of linear temporal logic rules. When an activity is being executed, the framework identifies input data values that are more (or less) likely to lead to the achievement of each business goal. Unlike reactive compliance monitoring approaches that detect violations only after they have occurred, our predictive monitoring approach provides early advice so that users can steer ongoing process executions towards the achievement of business goals. In other words, violations are predicted (and potentially prevented) rather than merely detected. The approach has been implemented in the ProM process mining toolset and validated on a real-life log pertaining to the treatment of cancer patients in a large hospital

Are cognitive disorders more common in geriatric diabetic patients? What factors contribute to cognitive decline?

Cognitive screening is recommended for all geriatric DM patients. Suggested validated screening tests are the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire and the clock drawing test. Screening should be repeated on a twice-yearly basis in those who are borderline and annually in those who are negative. In the case of positive screening, a specialist clinical diagnostic assessment is recommended. In patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia, evaluating and treating possible modifiable risk factors is recommended, such as sensory and physical functional disorders, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, etc. Simplification of antidiabetic drug treatment is also recommended in these patients

Analysis of food supplement with unusual raspberry ketone content

In recent years food supplement market increased constantly, including slimming products and against obesity. The case of rasberry ketone (RK) is here reported. HPTLC and HPLC-DAD analyses on a marketed product containing raspberry juice evidenced an abnormal quantity of RK, not in accordance with the juice natural content. The reported data confirm the need of adequate controls on marketed food supplements and the necessity of a complete adherence between labelling and real constitution of the product. Practical Applications: Determining the natural origin and assuring the consumers' safety for raspberry-based food supplement

Clinical Processes - The Killer Application for Constraint-Based Process Interactions?

For more than a decade, the interest in aligning information systems in a process-oriented way has been increasing. To enable operational support for business processes, the latter are usually specified in an imperative way. The resulting process models, however, tend to be too rigid to meet the flexibility demands of the actors involved. Declarative process modeling languages, in turn, provide a promising alternative in scenarios in which a high level of flexibility is demanded. In the scientific literature, declarative languages have been used for modeling rather simple processes or synthetic examples. However, to the best of our knowledge, they have not been used to model complex, real-world scenarios that comprise constraints going beyond control-flow. In this paper, we propose the use of a declarative language for modeling a sophisticated healthcare process scenario from the real world. The scenario is subject to complex temporal constraints and entails the need for coordinating the constraint-based interactions among the processes related to a patient treatment process. As demonstrated in this work, the selected real process scenario can be suitably modeled through a declarative approach.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2016-76956-C3-2-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2015-71938-RED