Romanian Psychology on the International Psychological Scene: A Preliminary Critical and Empirical Appraisal

2002 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel David ◽  
Mark Moore ◽  
Anca Domuta
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Information ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
International Psychology ◽  
Psychology Programs ◽  
Academic Psychology ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Developmental Policy

This study directly evaluates the visibility and the impact of Romanian academic psychology on the international scene using bibliometric indicators from the PsychoINFO, the MEDLINE, and the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). It is also intended to use this evaluation of its international impact as an indirect estimate of the quality of Romanian academic psychology and to allow a consideration of future possible directions in its development. Such information would be useful for Romanian psychology programs in making future developmental policy and would further also be informative for our international colleagues in choosing Romanian partners for various projects and for the international institutions for a better allocation of the international psychological resources. The preliminary conclusion is that although Romanian psychology is visible—an important point, considering the obstacles during the communist period—its products (i.e., publications) are still less competitive and play a minor role in international psychology. A supplementary analysis identifies the major players in Romanian academic psychology and in clinical psychology.

Work and Health in the Global Economy: Lessons from Developing and Industrialized Countries on the Impact of Work on Health

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Eduardo Siqueira ◽  
Blanca Lemus ◽  
Charles Levenstein
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Occupational and environmental health are dependent on the decisions made about the production of goods and services: the quality of our lives in the community and workplace and our well-being as workers, residents, and citizens are profoundly influenced by the technology employed in producing “our way of life.” We seek to understand the system of decision making about the use of humans and the natural environment in production; we want to know who is sitting at the table where decisions are taken and what drives their decisions; and we want to know how ordinary people can take their appropriate place at the table, so that they can protect their health and well-being. The global economy is not what it seems: a mythology has been created about globalization in which the marketplace is the only reality and nations and national identity—human agency—play only a minor role.

Shareholder risk-taking incentives in the presence of contingent capital

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Fatouh ◽  
Ayowande A. McCunn
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
Banking System ◽  
Capital Requirements ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Basic Model ◽  
Conversion Rates ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to present a model of shareholders’ willingness to exert effort to reduce the likelihood of bank distress and the implications of the presence of contingent convertible (CoCo) bonds in the liabilities structure of a bank. Design/methodology/approach This study presents a basic model about the moral hazard surrounding shareholders willingness to exert effort that increases the likelihood of a bank’s success. This study uses a one-shot game and so do not capture the effects of repeated interactions. Findings Consistent with the existing literature, this study shows that the direction of the wealth transfer at the conversion of CoCo bonds determines their impact on shareholder risk-taking incentives. This study also finds that “anytime” CoCos (CoCo bonds trigger-able anytime at the discretion of managers) have a minor advantage over regular CoCo bonds, and that quality of capital requirements can reduce the risk-taking incentives of shareholders. Practical implications This study argues that shareholders can also use manager-specific CoCo bonds to reduce the riskiness of the bank activities. The issuance of such bonds can increase the resilience of individual banks and the whole banking system. Regulators can use restrictions on conversion rates and/or requirements on the quality of capital to address the impact of CoCo bonds issuance on risk-taking incentives. Originality/value To model the risk-taking incentives, authors generally modify the asset processes to introduce components that reflect asymmetric information between CoCo holders and shareholders and/or managers. This paper follows a simpler method similar to that of Holmström and Tirole (1998).

scholarly journals Extracellular Pneumococcal Serine Proteases Affect Nasopharyngeal Colonization

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murtadha Q. Ali ◽  
Thomas P. Kohler ◽  
Gerhard Burchhardt ◽  
Andreas Wüst ◽  
Nadin Henck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serine Proteases ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Extracellular Proteases ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Colonization ◽  
Invasive Diseases ◽  
Pneumococcal Colonization ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

Streptococcus pneumoniae has evolved versatile strategies to colonize the nasopharynx of humans. Colonization is facilitated by direct interactions with host cell receptors or via binding to components of the extracellular matrix. In addition, pneumococci hijack host-derived extracellular proteases such as the serine protease plasmin(ogen) for ECM and mucus degradation as well as colonization. S. pneumoniae expresses strain-dependent up to four serine proteases. In this study, we assessed the role of secreted or cell-bound serine proteases HtrA, PrtA, SFP, and CbpG, in adherence assays and in a mouse colonization model. We hypothesized that the redundancy of serine proteases compensates for the deficiency of a single enzyme. Therefore, double and triple mutants were generated in serotype 19F strain EF3030 and serotype 4 strain TIGR4. Strain EF3030 produces only three serine proteases and lacks the SFP encoding gene. In adherence studies using Detroit-562 epithelial cells, we demonstrated that both TIGR4Δcps and 19F mutants without serine proteases or expressing only CbpG, HtrA, or PrtA have a reduced ability to adhere to Detroit-562 cells. Consistent with these results, we show that the mutants of strain 19F, which preferentially colonizes mice, abrogate nasopharyngeal colonization in CD-1 mice after intranasal infection. The bacterial load in the nasopharynx was monitored for 14 days. Importantly, mutants showed significantly lower bacterial numbers in the nasopharynx two days after infection. Similarly, we detected a significantly reduced pneumococcal colonization on days 3, 7, and 14 post-inoculations. To assess the impact of pneumococcal serine proteases on acute infection, we infected mice intranasally with bioluminescent and invasive TIGR4 or isogenic triple mutants expressing only CbpG, HtrA, PrtA, or SFP. We imaged the acute lung infection in real-time and determined the survival of the mice. The TIGR4lux mutant expressing only PrtA showed a significant attenuation and was less virulent in the acute pneumonia model. In conclusion, our results showed that pneumococcal serine proteases contributed significantly to pneumococcal colonization but played only a minor role in pneumonia and invasive diseases. Because colonization is a prerequisite for invasive diseases and transmission, these enzymes could be promising candidates for the development of antimicrobials to reduce pneumococcal transmission.

scholarly journals Living apart together: Ein Vergleich getrennt wohnender Paare mit klassischen Partnerschaften

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-45
Author(s):  
Alexander Noyon ◽  
Tanja Kock
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Living Apart Together ◽  
Quality Of Relationships ◽  
A Minor

The term “living apart together” (LAT), which was coined by Straver (1980), characterizes a form of relationship that differs from traditional relationship models in that the involved partners carry out their relationship in separate homes as opposed to a mutual home. Up to now, these LAT couples have played a minor role in empirical research. In the following study n1 = 57 subjects who live with their partners in a mutual home are compared to n2 = 53 subjects who maintain an LAT relationship. The study’s results indicate that especially women from the LAT sample show higher satisfactionwith- relationship values than the women living in traditional relationships. Further results, particularly concerning the quality of relationships, are presented and critically assessed in a concluding discussion. Zusammenfassung Mit dem Begriff des „living apart together“ (LAT) hat Straver (1980) eine Beziehungsform gekennzeichnet, die sich von klassischen Beziehungsmodellen dadurch unterscheidet, dass die beteiligten Partner ihre Partnerschaft nicht in einer gemeinsamen, sondern in getrennten Wohnungen gestalten. In der empirischen Forschung spielen solche LAT-Paare bislang eine untergeordnete Rolle. In der vorliegenden Studie werden n1 = 57 Personen, die mit ihrem Partner in einer Wohnung leben, mit n2 = 53 Probanden verglichen, die eine LAT-Beziehung führen. Wie die Studienergebnisse zeigen, weisen insbesondere die Frauen der LATStichprobe höhere Partnerschaftszufriedenheitswerte auf als die in „klassischen“ Beziehungen lebenden Frauen. Neben diesem werden weitere Ergebnisse insbesondere hinsichtlich der Partnerschaftsqualität präsentiert und in einer abschließenden Diskussion kritisch beleuchtet.

scholarly journals Low incidence of Schmallenberg virus infection in natural cases of abortion in domestic ruminants in Hungary

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-111
Author(s):  
Levente Szeredi ◽  
Ádám Dán ◽  
Péter Malik ◽  
Szilárd Jánosi ◽  
Ákos Hornyák
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Sample ◽  
Schmallenberg Virus ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Domestic Ruminants ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

AbstractAn epizootic caused by a new orthobunyavirus called Schmallenberg virus (SBV) was recognised in European ruminants in 2011 and 2012. The re-emergence of the infection was reported in several countries in the subsequent years. Although the main clinical sign of SBV infection is abortion, the impact of SBV in natural cases of abortion in domestic ruminants had not been systematically examined before this study. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of SBV infection and to compare it to the importance of other causes of abortion by examining 537 natural cases of abortion that had occurred between 2011 and 2017 in Hungary. The cause of abortion was determined in 165 (31%) cases. An infectious cause was proved in 88 (16%) cases. SBV infection was found only in a total of four cases (0.8%) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Three of them proved to be inapparent SBV infection, and one case was attributed to SBV-induced abortion by detecting non-purulent encephalitis and SBV nucleoprotein by immunohistochemistry in a brain tissue sample. According to the results, SBV played a minor role in natural cases of domestic ruminant abortion in Hungary during the 7-year period following the first SBV outbreak in 2011.

scholarly journals Hope, Disillusion and Coincidence in Migratory Decisions by Senegalese Migrants in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 268-277
Author(s):  
Philipp Roman Jung
Keyword(s):  
Minor Role ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Essential Characteristic ◽  
New Destinations ◽  
Onward Migration ◽  
Decisions To Leave ◽  
Restricted Mobility ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Do So

Uncertainty is an essential characteristic of our lives. However, by moving from one country to another, from a familiar context to an unfamiliar one, uncertainty becomes a key element of migrants’ decisions. In times of restricted mobility regimes, migrants often do not know if they will be able to reach the desired destination. Even if they manage to do so, it is still uncertain if they will be able to fulfil their aspirations. However, uncertainty also leaves room for hope. Departing from the conceptualisation of hope as the simultaneity of both potentiality and uncertainty and from the concept of circumstantial migration, this article analyses (1) retrospectively the decision of Senegalese migrants to move to Brazil and (2) the intentions of onward migration. Based on empirical data collected through ethnographic fieldwork in four Brazilian cities, this article shows how migration as a form of social hope is redirected to new destinations and that this redirection is a consequence of circumstances and coincidences, which enable or prevent movement. Potential positive outcomes of migration outweighed negative ones, which play a minor role and hardly affect decisions to leave Senegal. However, decisions to emigrate are often based on incomplete information and ill-informed expectations regarding the circumstances at the destination and can lead to feelings of disillusion. The impact of uncertainties shows a more differentiated picture in the context of onward migration intentions. While some migrants are willing to take big risks in onward migration, others try to minimize uncertainties.

scholarly journals Health and culture: National and individual drivers of preference for professional medical help

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Leijen ◽  
H van Herk
Keyword(s):  
Personal Values ◽  
International Health ◽  
Health Care Research ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Healthcare Use ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Country Culture ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Preferences for professional medical healthcare in case of non-acute medical situations influence a major amount of healthcare use, and vary strongly across countries. Personal values and country culture have been shown to be important predictors of human preferences in many areas. We therefore investigated the impact of both individual and country-level characteristics across Europe on individual healthcare preferences related to non-acute medical conditions. Methods Data from 17,710 individuals from 16 European countries were analysed using a multi-level approach, simultaneously including individual- and country level predictors. Results Healthcare preferences were explained by both human values (Conservation γ = 0.097, p < .01, Self Enhancement γ = 0.038, p < .05) and trust in the doctor (γ 0.054, p < .01). Socio-demographics played a minor role. Societal tightness-looseness (TL) strongly predicted healthcare use preferences on the country level (γ 0.109, p < .05). Also TL enhanced the relation between conservation and preference (γ 0.024, p <.05), and decreased the relation between self-enhancement and preference (γ -0.021, p <.01). Conclusions Our results suggest that healthcare behavior is related to people's motivations and the extent to which the society they live in is more tight or loose. Stronger conservation values increase preference for professional medical care, while self-transcendence- and openness-to-change values decrease preference. Societal tightness is positively related to preference on the country level. Furthermore, in tight societies the effect of conservation is enhanced and the effect of self enhancement is suppressed, related to an additional higher preference for professional medical help. Our results may help key actors within the health system to predict and channel healthcare choice behavior across and within nations. Key messages Culture plays an important role in developing a preference for medical help, on both individual as well as country level. Personal values the as well as cultural tightness looseness are fruitful tools for the analysis of national and international health care research.

scholarly journals The Role of Generic Competencies in the Entrustment of Professional Activities: A Nationwide Competency-Based Curriculum Assessed

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 546-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karsten A. van Loon ◽  
Pim W. Teunissen ◽  
Erik W. Driessen ◽  
Fedde Scheele
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Technical Performance ◽  
Generic Competencies ◽  
Template Analysis ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
A Minor

ABSTRACT Background  Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) seek to translate essential physician competencies into clinical practice. Until now, it is not known whether EPA-based curricula offer enhanced assessment and feedback to trainees. Objective  This study examined program directors' and senior residents' justifications for entrustment decisions and what role generic, cross-specialty competencies (such as communication skills, collaboration, and understanding health care systems) play in these decisions. Methods  Entrustment decisions for all Dutch obstetrics and gynecology residents between January 2010 and April 2014 were retrieved from their electronic portfolios. Justifications for entrustment were divided into 4 categories: the resident's experience, his or her technical performance, the presence of a generic competency, and training. Template analysis was used to analyze in depth the types of justifications, which play a role in entrustment decisions. Results  A total of 5139 entrustment decisions for 375 unique residents were extracted and analyzed. In 59% of all entrustment decisions, entrusting a professional task to a resident was justified by the experience of the resident. Generic competencies were mentioned in 0.5% of all entrustment decisions. Template analysis revealed that the amount of exposure and technical skills are leading factors, while the quality of the performance was not reported to be of any influence. Conclusions  Entrustment decisions only rarely are based on generic competencies, despite the introduction of competency frameworks and EPAs. For program directors, a leading factor in entrustment decisions is a resident's exposure to an activity, and the quality of a resident's performance appears to play only a minor role.

Do Prosody and Embodiment Influence the Perceived Naturalness of Conversational Agents’ Speech?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Jonathan Ehret ◽  
Andrea Bönsch ◽  
Lukas Aspöck ◽  
Christine T. Röhr ◽  
Stefan Baumann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Masking Effect ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Virtual Agents ◽  
Conversational Agents ◽  
Virtual Agent ◽  
Online Study ◽  
Human Voice ◽  
The One ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

For conversational agents’ speech, either all possible sentences have to be prerecorded by voice actors or the required utterances can be synthesized. While synthesizing speech is more flexible and economic in production, it also potentially reduces the perceived naturalness of the agents among others due to mistakes at various linguistic levels. In our article, we are interested in the impact of adequate and inadequate prosody, here particularly in terms of accent placement, on the perceived naturalness and aliveness of the agents. We compare (1) inadequate prosody, as generated by off-the-shelf text-to-speech (TTS) engines with synthetic output; (2) the same inadequate prosody imitated by trained human speakers; and (3) adequate prosody produced by those speakers. The speech was presented either as audio-only or by embodied, anthropomorphic agents, to investigate the potential masking effect by a simultaneous visual representation of those virtual agents. To this end, we conducted an online study with 40 participants listening to four different dialogues each presented in the three Speech levels and the two Embodiment levels. Results confirmed that adequate prosody in human speech is perceived as more natural (and the agents are perceived as more alive) than inadequate prosody in both human (2) and synthetic speech (1). Thus, it is not sufficient to just use a human voice for an agents’ speech to be perceived as natural—it is decisive whether the prosodic realisation is adequate or not. Furthermore, and surprisingly, we found no masking effect by speaker embodiment, since neither a human voice with inadequate prosody nor a synthetic voice was judged as more natural, when a virtual agent was visible compared to the audio-only condition. On the contrary, the human voice was even judged as less “alive” when accompanied by a virtual agent. In sum, our results emphasize, on the one hand, the importance of adequate prosody for perceived naturalness, especially in terms of accents being placed on important words in the phrase, while showing, on the other hand, that the embodiment of virtual agents plays a minor role in the naturalness ratings of voices.

Investigating L1 lay assessments of L2 French pronunciation

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry Lappin-Fortin
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Rate Of Speech ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
English Canadian ◽  
Larger Sample

Abstract This study examined how 10 English Canadian students reading a 122-word passage in French were assessed by a diverse group of 40 native speaker lay listeners in France, thus addressing a lacuna in current pronunciation research. Both stimulus factors and listener effects were investigated. Quantitative and qualitative data revealed strong correlations between perceptions of accentedness and comprehensibility, and between lay ratings and those made by two experts. Results highlighted the impact phonemic errors and rate of speech have on rater judgments, while linkings (liaisons) and other prosodic elements seemed to play a minor role. Recommendations are made for a follow-up study using a larger sample.

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