This thesis adopts a new operational method to measure and investigate the relationship among cost efficiency, market competition and profitability in major Asian economies by using an unbalanced panel data sample of 278 commercial banks during the financial upheaval period of 2005-2012 before and after the global financial crisis. Firstly, we estimate the cost efficiency by employing different stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) models, which include the equity capital to indicate loss-absorbing capacity and risk preference and cross-country differences to be additional environmental variables. It is generally agreed that cross-country differences influence the frontier technology in the international comparison of banks performance. In this case, we implement the international comparison under SFA models with and without incorporating these cross-country heterogeneities. And the empirical results suggest that cross-country differences are significant sources to measure banks cost efficiency and evaluate banks performance. Secondly, we measure the market competition by investigating a range of approaches: the traditional Structure-Conduct-Performance approach, Lerner index, and new empirical industrial organization Panzar-Rosse approach. And we find that the SCP-Lerner approach may fail to identify the strength of competition and may not always unambiguously distinguish between the market power and the efficiency explanations of market concentration. Finally, following the approach of Boone, we measure the intensity of competition in two ways: the profit elasticity and the relative profit difference (calculated by cost efficiency score and shadow return on equity capital). Then we implement a quadratic quantile regression to compute the integral areas and standard errors for the Boone visual test and Wald test to reflect the relative intensity of competition for different competitive regimes over time. Our findings show that competition of banking industries become more intense in 9 Asian economies in the wake of the financial crisis and that two advanced economies (Singapore and Taiwan Province of China) and two remarkable emerging economies (China and India) play the significantly leading role in this intensifying competition process.

Map of Boone Reservoir Properties published in October 1959 by the Tennessee Valley Authority, Division of Reservoir Properties. The Boone Lake Property Map series is divided into 3 sheets, this is sheet 2 of 3. The legend denotes retained, surplus, or transferred land. Boxes on the bottom right quadrant include information such as approximate acreage of tracts and forecasted usage of retained lands. Property owners (as of 1959) are listed in the top left corner and are also included on the map itself. Physical copy resides in the Government Information, Law and Maps Department of East Tennessee State University’s Sherrod Library. Scale: 1" = 2000' / https://dc.etsu.edu/rare-maps/1019/thumbnail.jpg

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana University, 2007. / Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Li Lin, Lenore P. Tedesco, Jeffrey S. Wilson. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-149).

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana University, 2007. / Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Gabriel M. Filippelli, Catherine Souch, Lenore P. Tedesco. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-83).

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This thesis presents the results of an analysis of predicting phytoplankton pigment concentrations (chlorophyll a and phycocyanin) from remotely sensed imagery. Hyperspectral airborne and hand-held reflectance spectra were acquired on three reservoirs (Geist, Morse and Eagle Creek) in Central Indiana, USA. Concurrent with the reflectance acquisition, in situ samples were collected and analyzed in laboratories to quantify the pigment concentration and other water quality parameters. The resultant concentration was then linked to Airborne Imaging Spectrometer for Applications (AISA) reflectance spectra for the sampling stations to develop predictive models. AISA reflectance spectra were extracted from the imagery which had been processed for radiometric calibration and geometric correction. Several previously published algorithms were examined for the estimation of pigment concentration from the spectra. High coefficients of determination were achieved for predicting chlorophyll a in two of the three reservoirs (Geist R2 = 0.712, Morse R2 = 0.895 and Eagle Creek Reservoir R2 = 0.392). This situation was similar for PC prediction, where two of the three reservoirs had high coefficients of determination between pigment concentration and reflectance (Geist R2 = 0.805, Morse R2 = 0.878 and Eagle Creek Reservoir R2 = 0.316). The results of this study show that reflectance spectra collected with an airborne hyperspectral imager are statistically significant, p < 0.03, in predicting chlorophyll a and phycocyanin pigment concentration in all three reservoirs in this study without the consideration of other parameters. The algorithms were then applied to the AISA image to generate high spatial resolution (1 m2) maps of Chlorophyll a and Phycocyanin distribution for each reservoir.

Map of Boone Reservoir Properties published in October 1959 by the Tennessee Valley Authority, Division of Reservoir Properties. The Boone Lake Property Map series is divided into 3 sheets, this is sheet 3 of 3. The legend denotes retained, surplus, or transferred land. Boxes on the top right quadrant include information such as approximate acreage of tracts and forecasted usage of retained lands. Property owners (as of 1959) are listed and are also included on the map itself. Physical copy resides in the Government Information, Law and Maps Department of East Tennessee State University’s Sherrod Library. Scale: 1" = 2000' / https://dc.etsu.edu/rare-maps/1020/thumbnail.jpg

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Submitted by Johnny Rodrigues (johnnyrodrigues@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-10-17T19:51:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ALESSANDRA ALMEIDA CASTRO - TESE PPGEP 2004..pdf: 50999854 bytes, checksum: 5c3c28a3bdfe146c8c95c174dbbd858e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-17T19:51:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ALESSANDRA ALMEIDA CASTRO - TESE PPGEP 2004..pdf: 50999854 bytes, checksum: 5c3c28a3bdfe146c8c95c174dbbd858e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-08-20 / Capes / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi estudar o efeito das técnicas de: a) congelamento nas temperaturas de -20 °C, -196 °C e -170 °C; b) armazenamento as temperaturas de (-20 °C, -30 °C e -170 °C, e c) do método de descongelamento (temperatura ambiente: aproximadamente 25 °C e em banho termostatizado: 35 °C) sobre duas amostras de camarão: 1) com exoesqueleto e cabeça e 2) sem exoesqueleto e sem cabeça, por um período de 12 meses de armazenamento. Foram determinados os seguintes parâmetros: a) características físicas (massa, comprimento, espessura e volume); b) cinética de congelamento as temperaturas de -20 °C, -170 °C e -196 °C; c) propriedades termofisicas (densidade, calor específico, difusividade térmica e condutividade térmica); d) características físico-químicas (conteúdo de água, cinzas, proteínas, pH, carboidratos, gorduras, calorias, exsudado e um atributo de textura: dureza); e) caracterização microbiológica (salmonela, coliformes fecais, vibrio parahaemolyticus) e f) avaliação sensorial (sabor, odor, textura e aparência), visando verificar a eficácia das técnicas de congelamento e descongelamento na qualidade do camarão armazenado. Na análise da cinética, as curvas de congelamento obtidas à temperatura de -20 °C para o camarão com exoesqueleto e cabeça e para o filé foram observadas claramente as três fases, ou seja, resfriamento, cristalização e pós-congelamento. Este fato também ocorreu para o camarão com cabeça congelado a -170 °C, já para o filé congelado a -170 °C não se distinguiu com clareza a fase I da Fase II, ou seja, a fase de resfriamento e a fase de cristalização, fato este atribuído a maior velocidade de congelamento. Nas curvas de congelamento do camarão com cabeça e filé quando estes foram submetidos ao congelamento por imersão em N2 líquido (-196 °C) também não se observou uma distinção entre as fases de resfriamento e cristalização. Com relação às propriedades termofisicas, a densidade do camarão "fresco" (25 °C) com exoesqueleto e cabeça foi de l,066g/cm3 e do filé foi de l,02g/cm3. Os valores médios do calor específico do camarão com exoesqueleto e do filé "fresco" foram de 0,84 e 0,86 kcal/kg °C, respectivamente e para o camarão com exoesqueleto e filé à temperatura de -170 °C foram de 0,28 kcal/kg °C, 0,31 kcal/kg °C e a -196 °C foram de 0,25 kcal/kg °C e 0,28 kcal/kg °C, respectivamente. A difusividade efetiva média do camarão com exoesqueleto às temperaturas de -20 °C, -170 °C e -196 °C, foi de 9,13 x 10 3 mm2/s; 29 x 10 3 mm2/s; 571,8 x 10 3 mm2/s e para o filé nas mesmas temperaturas foi 9,9 x 10 3 mm2/s; 28,1 x IO"3 mm2/s; 384,3 x IO"3 mm2/s. A condutividade térmica média para o camarão com exoesqueleto às temperaturas de -170°C e -196 °C foi de 0,032 W/m °C e 0,499 W/m °C e para o filé nas mesmas temperaturas foi de 0,029 W/m °C e 0,371 W/m °C, respectivamente. Na caracterização físico-química, tanto nos camarões com cabeça quanto nos filés, congelados e armazenados em vapor de N2 (-170 °C) mantiveram-se inalterados o conteúdo de água, cinzas, proteínas, pH, gorduras e exsudado, durante todo o período de armazenagem. Os resultados das análises microbiológicas dos camarões frescos, depois de congelados e durante os 12 meses de armazenamento, apresentaram ausência de salmonela, de coliformes fecais e vibrio parahaemolyticus. Na avaliação sensorial quanto aos atributos sabor, odor, textura e aparência, os degustadores demonstraram preferência pelas amostras congeladas e armazenadas em vapor de N2, as amostras que tiveram menores índices de aceitabilidade foram às congeladas e armazenadas a -20 °C. Concluiu-se ainda que tanto no sabor, odor e textura, em todos os tratamentos, as médias das notas dos camarões descongelados em banho termostatizado à temperatura de 35 °C foram menores que as descongeladas a temperatura ambiente, todavia, na avaliação da aparência do camarão com exoesqueleto e cabeça, quando descongeladas em banho termostatizado a 35 °C, apresentaram notas mais elevadas que as descongeladas à temperatura ambiente, tal fato é atribuído a astaxantina existente em crustáceos, que quando aquecida dá a cor alaranjada ao camarão. / The objective of this research was to study the effect of techniques of: 1) freezing in temperatures of-20 °C, -196 °C and -170 °C; 2) storage in temperatures of (-20 °C, -30 °C and -170 °C, and 3) of unfreezing method ( environmental temperature: approximately 25 °C and in thermostatized bath: 35 °C) on two samples of shrimp: 1) with exoskeleton and head and 2) without exoskeleton and head, for a period of 12 months of storage. The following parameters had been determined: 1) physical characteristics (mass, length, thickness and volume); 2) kinetic freezing of temperatures at -20 °C, -170 °C and -196 °C; 3) thermophysical properties (density, specific heat, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity); 4) physicochemical characteristic (water content, ashes, proteins, pH, carbohydrates, fats, calories, exuded and an texture attribution: hardness); 5) microbiological characterization (salmonella, fecale coliform, vibrio parahaemolyticus) and 6) sensorial evaluation (flavor, scent, texture and appearance), aiming to verify the effectiveness of freezing and unfreezing techniques in the quality of the stored shrimp. During kinetic analysis, the curves of freezing obtained at the temperature of -20 °C for the shrimp with the head and exoskeleton for the filet, the three phases, or better saying, cooling, crystallization and after-freezing were clearly observed. This fact also occurred for the shrimp with frozen head at -170 °C, on the other hand for the filet at -170 °C, it was not easy to distinguish with clarity phase I from Phase II, in other words, the phases of cooling and crystallization, due to the speed of freezing. At the shrimps with head freezing curve, it was observed that when these were submitted to freezing by immersion in liquid N2 (-196 °C) there was not any distinction between the phases of cooling and crystallization. In relation to the thermophysical properties, the density of fresh shrimp (25 °C) with exoskeleton and head were of l,066g/cm3 and of that of filet was l,02g/cm3. The average values of the specific heat of the shrimp with exoskeleton and fresh filet is of 0,84 and 0,86 kcal/kg °C, respectively and for shrimp with exoskeleton and filet at temperature of -170 °C were of 0,28 kcal/kb °C, 0.31 kcal/kg °C and 196°C were of 0,25 kcal/kg °C and 0,28 kcal/kg °C, respectively. The medium diffusivity effectiveness of the shrimp with exoskeleton at the temperatures of -20 °C, -170 °C and -196 °C, was of 9,13 x 10"3 mm2/s; 29 x 10"3 mm2/s; 571,8 x 10"3 mm2/s and for the filet at the same temperature was 9,9 x 10"3 mm2/s temperatures was; 28.1 x 10"3 mm2/s; 384,3 x 10"3 mm2/s. The average thermal conductivity for shrimp with exoskeleton at -170 °C and -196 °C was of 0,032 W/m °C and 0,499 W/m °C and for filet at the temperature was of 0,029 W/m °C and 0.371 W/m °C, respectively. For physicist-chemistry characterization, both in shrimps with head as well as that of filet, frozen and stored in N2 vapor (-170 °C) the water content, proteins, pH, fats and exuded remained unchanged during all the period of storage. The results of the microbiological analyses of the fresh shrimps, after been frozen and during 12 months of storage, presented absence of salmonella, fecal coliform and vibrio parahaemolyticus. In the sensorial evaluation as much as flavor, scent, texture and appearance are concerned, the testators demonstrated preference for samples frozen and stored in vapor of N2, the samples with the least acceptability indices were those frozen and stored at -20 °C. It was concluded that in the flavor, scent and texture, in all the treatments, the average notes of defrosted shrimps in thermostatized bath of 35 °C temperature were less than those defrosted at environmental temperature, however, in the evaluation of the appearance of the shrimp with exoskeleton and head, when defrosted at thermostatized bath of 35 °C, presented higher notes than those defrosted at environmental temperature, such facts are attributed to astaxantine existing in crustaceans, which when heated, gives the shrimp that gives the orange color to the shrimp,

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The focus of this study was to document phosphorus (P) and metal cycling in the Eagle Creek Reservoir (ECR), located in Indianapolis, central Indiana. Eagle Creek Reservoir serves the drinking water needs of over 80,000 residents. Within the last several years, algal blooms have created stress to the local treatment facility. The objective of this study was to examine how P cycling from oxygen deprived bottom sediments affects the algal bloom productivity. As such, cores were retrieved from different water depths (7 and 16 m) from portions of the reservoir where high surficial concentrations of organic matter and P were found to occur. The dried samples were analyzed for P, sulfur, iron, barium, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, using a strong acid digestion technique. The samples were also analyzed for iron-bound P (Fe-P), authigenic P (A-P), detrital P (D-P), organic P (O-P), reducible iron, and reducible manganese, using a sequential extraction technique. The results from the study showed moisture contents ranged from 16 to 76% and organic matter contents ranged from 2 to 12 wt%. The dry bulk densities were determined to be between 0.27 and 1.68 g cm3. The average percentages of P in ECS-1, as determined by the sequential extraction method, were as follows: Fe-P, 66.2%; A-P, 8.1%; D-P, 4.8%; and O-P, 20.9%. The average percentages of P in ECS-3, as determined by the sequential extraction method, were as follows: Fe-P, 77.0%; A-P, 6.5%; D-P, 2.8%; and O-P, 16.7%. To determine relationships between elements, correlations were calculated. When looking as the relationships between the P fractions and reducible Fe, differences were observed between the different water depths. There was less correlation between reducible Fe and Fe-P, and between O-P and Fe-P, in ECS-3, indicating that Fe-P is more efficiently dissolved and recycled in the deep portion of ECR. The study shows that the Fe-P flux, caused by the iron redox cycle, is persistent and will continue to influence algal bloom productivity in the deeper portions of ECR.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This study explores relationships between temperate stream geochemistry and watershed land cover in two temperate streams, Fishback Creek and School Branch Creek, located in a rapidly urbanizing area on the northwest side of Indianapolis in Eagle Creek Watershed, Indiana. The temporal and spatial patterns of NO3-N, PO4, DOC, SiO2, Cl-, and Na+ were assessed to understand the influence of land cover on the magnitude and timing of water, chemical, and nutrient delivery to streams. Results of the study indicate that the influences of different land cover types on water delivery to streams and in-stream water quality vary seasonally and with respect to flow regime, that urbanization may result in decreased nitrate input, and that phosphate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations will likely remain constant as the watershed is developed. Results also indicate that riparian buffer downstream of intense agriculture lands dilutes high agricultural NO3-N concentrations, but not enough to return in-stream concentrations to natural levels.