Credit and information in universal banking : a clinical study

We studied information and interaction processes in six lending relationships between a universal bank and medium sized firms. The study is based on the credit files of the respective firms. If no problems occur in these lending relationships, bank monitoring is based mainly on cheap, retrospective and internal data. In case of distress, more expensive, prospective and external information is used. The level of monitoring and the willingness to renegotiate the lending relationship depends on what the lending officers can learn about the future prospects of the firm from the behaviour of the debtors. We identify both signalling and bonding activities. Such learning from past behaviour seems to allow monitoring at low cost, whereas the direct observation of the firm's investment outlook seems to be very costly. Also, too much knowledge about the firm's investments might leave the bank in a very strong bargaining position and distort investment incentives. Therefore, the traditional view of credit assessment as observation of the quality of a borrower's investment programme needs to be reconsidered

Credit information in universal banking: A clinical study

We studied information and interaction processes in six lending relationships between a universal bank and medium sized firms. The study is based on the credit files of the respective firms. If no problems occur in these lending relationships, bank monitoring is based mainly on cheap, retrospective and internal data. In case of distress, more expensive, prospective and external information is used. The level of monitoring and the willingness to renegotiate the lending relationship depends on what the lending officers can learn about the future prospects of the firm from the behaviour of the debtors. We identify both signalling and bonding activities. Such learning from past behaviour seems to allow monitoring at low cost, whereas the direct observation of the firm's investment outlook seems to be very costly. Also, too much knowledge about the firm's investments might leave the bank in a very strong bargaining position and distort investment incentives. Therefore, the traditional view of credit assessment as observation of the quality of a borrower's investment programme needs to be reconsidered

Myofascial Trigger Points in Children With Tension-Type Headache: A New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Option

The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of a trigger point–specific physiotherapy on headache frequency, intensity, and duration in children with episodic or chronic tension-type headache. Patients were recruited from the special headache outpatient clinic. A total of 9 girls (mean age 13.1 years; range, 5-15 years) with the diagnosis of tension-type headache participated in the pilot study from May to September 2006 and received trigger point–specific physiotherapy twice a week by a trained physiotherapist. After an average number of 6.5 therapeutic sessions, the headache frequency had been reduced by 67.7%, intensity by 74.3%, and duration by 77.3%. No side effects were noted during the treatment. These preliminary findings suggest a role for active trigger points in children with tension-type headache. Trigger point–specific physiotherapy seems to be an effective therapy in these children. Further prospective and controlled studies in a larger cohort are warranted

The trophy hunting of African lions: scale, current management practices and factors undermining sustainability

The trophy hunting of lions Panthera leo is contentious due to uncertainty concerning conservation impacts and because of highly polarised opinions about the practice. African lions are hunted across at least ∼558,000 km 2 , which comprises 27-32% of the lion range in countries where trophy hunting of the species is permitted. Consequently, trophy hunting has potential to impart significant positive or negative impacts on lions. Several studies have demonstrated that excessive trophy harvests have driven lion population declines. There have been several attempts by protectionist non-governmental organisations to reduce or preclude trophy hunting via restrictions on the import and export of lion trophies. We document the management of lion hunting in Africa and highlight challenges which need addressing to achieve sustainability. Problems include: unscientific bases for quota setting; excessive quotas and off-takes in some countries; fixed quotas which encourage over-harvest; and lack of restrictions on the age of lions that can be hunted. Key interventions needed to make lion hunting more sustainable, include implementation of: enforced age restrictions; improved trophy monitoring; adaptive management of quotas and a minimum length of lion hunts of at least 21 days. Some range states have made important steps towards implementing such improved management and off-takes have fallen steeply in recent years. For example age restrictions have been introduced in Tanzania and in Niassa in Mozambique, and are being considered for Benin and Zimbabwe, several states have reduced quotas, and Zimbabwe is implementing trophy monitoring. However, further reforms are needed to ensure sustainability and reduce conservation problems associated with the practice while allowing retention of associated financial incentives for conservation

Clouds - Peerbasiertes On-Demand Computing

Der vorliegende Bericht stellt die Ergebnisse des Projekts 538 "Clouds -- Peerbasiertes On-Demand Computing" vor, das am Institut für Roboterforschung der Technischen Universität Dortmund im Sommersemester 2009 und Wintersemester 2009/2010 stattfand. Mit dem Beginn der Projektgruppenarbeiten im April 2009 wurden durch Vorträge während einer Seminarfahrt die grundlegenden Kenntnisse im Bereich der Softwareentwicklung und spezielle Kenntnisse für das Projektziel, hinsichtlich des aktuellen Stands der Technik im Bereich der Delokalisierung computerbasierter Datenhaltung und Verarbeitung und deren Hochverfügbarkeit gescha en. Neben der Homogenisierung des Wissenstandes der Projektgruppenteilnehmer durch diese Vorträge konnten auch erste Vorstellungen bezüglich der späteren Realisierung der Projektgruppenziels gewonnen werden. Die Gliederung der Kapitel des folgenden Endberichts folgt überwiegend dem klassischen Life-Cycle für Softwareentwicklung, der sich in der Reihenfolge in die Anforderungsanalyse, Entwurfs-, Modellierungs- und Implementierungsphase chronologisch subsumieren lässt. Durch die kritische Diskussion und spätere Qualitätssicherung mit Hilfe von Softwaretests konnte die Chronologie der genannten Phasen nicht immer eingehalten werden. Beispielsweise erforderten Schwächen der ersten Entwurfsergebnisse während der folgenden Modellierungsphase die Rückkehr zur Entwurfsphase. Um die Lesbarkeit dieser Abhandlung zu wahren wird die beschriebene Reihenfolge der Entwicklungsphasen strikt eingehalten. Innerhalb der Kapitel werden jedoch die unterschiedlichen Modelle und Technologieentscheidungen denen sich die Projektgruppe gegenüber sah ergebnisorientiert diskutiert

Анализ структурной устойчивости участка трубы из стали 12Х18Н9Т разнородного сварного узла паропровода энергетического котла

Исследуется распределение полей внутренних напряжений и микротвердости при термоциклировании с целью предотвращения понижения прочности сварных соединений энергетических паропроводовExamines the distribution of fields of internal stresses and microhardness during thermal Cycling with the aim of preventing lowering of strength of welded joints of steam pipelines and energ

Банковские риски и надежность коммерческих банков

В наше время банковская структура это ключевая сфера национального хозяйства каждой цивилизованной страны. В последние годы в России она подверглась значительным корректировкам. Изменяются все составляющие банковской деятельности. Формирование финансового рынка привело к значительному изменению роли кредитных организаций в управлении народным хозяйством и увеличение роли кредита в структуре финансовых взаимоотношений. Ссуда подталкивает к развитию производительных сил, активизирует формирование источников денежных средств с целью расширения воспроизводства.Presently the bank structure is the key sphere of national economy of each civilized country. In recent years in Russia she has undergone considerable adjustments. All components of bank activity change. Formation of the financial market has led to considerable change of a role of credit institutions in management of the national economy and increase in a role of the credit in structure of financial relationship.The loan pushes to development of productive forces, intensifies formation of sources of money for the purpose of reproduction expansion