University of Portsmouth

About: University of Portsmouth is a education organization based out in Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 5452 authors who have published 14256 publications receiving 424346 citations. The organization is also known as: Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art & Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and the Arts.

Constraints on the Richness-Mass Relation and the Optical-SZE Positional Offset Distribution for SZE-Selected Clusters

Abstract: We cross-match galaxy cluster candidates selected via their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) signatures in 129.1 deg2 of the South Pole Telescope 2500d SPT-SZ survey with optically identified clusters selected from the Dark Energy Survey science verification data. We identify 25 clusters between 0.1 ≲ z ≲ 0.8 in the union of the SPT-SZ and redMaPPer (RM) samples. RM is an optical cluster finding algorithm that also returns a richness estimate for each cluster. We model the richness lambda-mass relation with the following function ∝ Blambdaln M500 + Clambdaln E(z) and use SPT-SZ cluster masses and RM richnesses lambda to constrain the parameters. We find B_lambda = 1.14^{+0.21}_{-0.18} and C_lambda =0.73^{+0.77}_{-0.75}. The associated scatter in mass at fixed richness is sigma _{ln M|lambda } = 0.18^{+0.08}_{-0.05} at a characteristic richness lambda = 70. We demonstrate that our model provides an adequate description of the matched sample, showing that the fraction of SPT-SZ-selected clusters with RM counterparts is consistent with expectations and that the fraction of RM-selected clusters with SPT-SZ counterparts is in mild tension with expectation. We model the optical-SZE cluster positional offset distribution with the sum of two Gaussians, showing that it is consistent with a dominant, centrally peaked population and a subdominant population characterized by larger offsets. We also cross-match the RM catalogue with SPT-SZ candidates below the official catalogue threshold significance xi = 4.5, using the RM catalogue to provide optical confirmation and redshifts for 15 additional clusters with xi ∈ [4, 4.5].

Bank profitability and GDP growth in China: a note

Abstract: This article examines the effect of GDP growth on bank profitability in China over the period 2003–2009. The one-step system GMM estimator is used to test the persistence of profitability in the Chinese banking industry. The empirical findings suggest that cost efficiency is positively related to bank profitability, while lower profitability can also be explained by higher taxes paid by banks. In addition, there is a negative relationship between GDP growth and bank profitability. Furthermore, the results show that (1) the profitability in the Chinese banking industry is significantly affected by the level of non-performing loans, and (2) Chinese banks with higher levels of capital have lower profitability. Finally, we find that the departure from a perfectly competitive market structure in the Chinese banking industry is relatively small.

Towards understanding the effects of interviewer training in evaluating the cognitive interview

Abstract: The effectiveness of the cognitive interview (CI) technique has been demonstrated in experimental studies of eyewitness memory conducted in the USA, Germany, and the UK. Much of the research, however, has used college students as interviewers rather than professionals who regularly interview witnesses (e.g. police officers). The aim of this research was to examine the effects of such CI training using experienced police officers with established interviewing styles. An armed robbery was staged and information was elicited in witness interviews. The CI did not significantly increase correct recall but tended to produce more suppositions and errors. A qualitative analysis of interviewer behaviour showed that many officers had difficulty in applying the new cognitive techniques and in avoiding the use of closed and leading questions. The paper addresses two issues: first, that of training experienced police officers who have received relatively little prior training in investigative interviewing, and second, the extent to which we can generalize from the laboratory data elicited in previous studies of CI.

Snakes & ladders: in defence of studies of youth transition

Abstract: Although enjoying a period of renewed government policy interest and favourable research funding, youth studies has recently come under considerable intellectual attack, much of it from within. A c...