Software architecture based on XMLmessages in a project for secondary loan trading

Internship Report presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Knowledge Management and Business IntelligenceIn many business cases having a single application serving multiple technical and functional purposes is not a viable solution, especially in financial or banking environment which requirements are especially demanding considering the simple fact that there is money involved. Design of the appropriate software architecture and the following maintenance of the quality of data is possible thanks to the utilization of XML messages that permit establishing a connection between various applications. The flexibility of such solution allows the information to flow through designed architecture and be integrated according to the rules specified. This report details a project realized in a multinational investment bank in the business line of secondary trading for syndicated loans. The structure developed on the technical level was not tailormade for the software utilized across three different locations and required adjustments and further developments in order to achieve properly functioning infrastructure. This work describes the phases of the project, its challenges and finally an overview of solutions developed, but beforehand provides the reader with a background information on the business the project is realized for as well as the software involved in the infrastructure designed

Polish Agriculture under Different Policy Scenarios: Impacts on Production and Farm Income

The aim of the paper is to examine impacts of different rates of direct payments on production structures and farm incomes of Polish family farms after the accession to the EU. Analyses have been made for 2004, the assumed year of accession, with the use of a linear programming farm optimisation model. 15 farm types, further differentiated by soil quality, have been selected for the study. The modelling results show, that depending on the respective policy scenario (i.e. the rate of direct payments) the introduction of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in Poland may cause some shifts in farm production. Under the conditions of Agenda 2000 and with 25 % of direct payments, as proposed by the European Commission, farm incomes would in 2004 approximately equate the 2001/2002 base level. However, not all types of farms would benefit from the accession.EU accession, Polish Agriculture, direct payments, typical farms, farm model, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Simple and efficient method of lines based algorithm for modelling of erbium doped Q-switched fluoride fiber lasers

An improved algorithm based on the method of lines for modelling of Q-switched fluoride glass based erbium doped fiber lasers is presented. The algorithm uses finite difference method to reduce partial differential equations to a set of ordinary differential equations. Unlike the method of characteristics the ratio of the temporal and spatial step is not fixed. Thus computationally efficient algorithms with an adaptive step control for the solution of a set of ordinary differential equations can be directly applied. The performance of the improved algorithm against the standard one is compared. The results obtained show that the improved algorithm is significantly more computationally efficient

The patient journey : a report of skin cancer care across Europe

Summary - Background: There are poorly documented variations in the journey a skin cancer patient will follow from diagnosis to treatment in the European Union. Objectives: To investigate the possible difficulties or obstacles that a person with a skin malignancy in the European Union may have to overcome in order to receive adequate medical screening and care for his/her condition. In addition, we wished to explore differences in European health systems, which may lead to health inequalities and health inequities within Europe. Methods: Ten European countries took part in this investigation (in alphabetical order): Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Romania, Spain, the Netherlands and the U.K. The individual participants undertook local and national enquiries within their own country and completed a questionnaire. Results This exercise has identified important differences in the management of a skin cancer patient, reflecting major disparities in health care between European countries. Conclusions: Further investigation of health disparities and efforts to address health inequalities should lead to improvements in European health care quality and reduction in morbidity from skin cancer.This publication arises from the EPIDERM project, which was funded by the European Commission’s Executive Agency for Health and Consumers (EPIDERM project: PHEA 2007- A ⁄100994 HI). Funding for publication of this supplement was provided by the European Skin Cancer Foundation (ESCF).peer-reviewe

EVER Proteins, Key Elements of the Natural Anti-Human Papillomavirus Barrier, Are Regulated upon T-Cell Activation

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause a variety of mucosal and skin lesions ranging from benign proliferations to invasive carcinomas. The clinical manifestations of infection are determined by host-related factors that define the natural anti-HPV barrier. Key elements of this barrier are the EVER1 and EVER2 proteins, as deficiency in either one of the EVER proteins leads to Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis (EV), a genodermatosis associated with HPV-induced skin carcinoma. Although EVERs have been shown to regulate zinc homeostasis in keratinocytes, their expression and function in other cell types that may participate to the anti-HPV barrier remain to be investigated. In this work, we demonstrate that EVER genes are expressed in different tissues, and most notably in lymphocytes. Interestingly, in contrast to the skin, where EVER2 transcripts are hardly detectable, EVER genes are both abundantly expressed in murine and human T cells. Activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells via the TCR triggers a rapid and profound decrease in EVER expression, accompanied by an accumulation of free Zn2+ ions. Thus, EVER proteins may be involved in the regulation of cellular zinc homeostasis in lymphocytes. Consistent with this hypothesis, we show that the concentration of Zn2+ ions is elevated in lymphoblastoid cells or primary T cells from EVER2-deficient patients. Interestingly, we also show that Zn2+ excess blocks T-cell activation and proliferation. Therefore, EVER proteins appear as key components of the activation-dependent regulation of Zn2+ concentration in T cells. However, the impact of EVER-deficiency in T cells on EV pathogenesis remains to be elucidated

A pooled analysis of continued prophylactic efficacy of quadrivalent human papillomavirus (types 6/11/16/18) vaccine against high-grade cervical and external genital lesions

Quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been shown to provide protection from HPV 6/11/16/18-related cervical, vaginal, and vulvar disease through 3 years. We provide an update on the efficacy of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine against high-grade cervical, vaginal, and vulvar lesions based on end-of-study data from three clinical trials. Additionally, we stratify vaccine efficacy by several baseline characteristics, including age, smoking status, and Papanicolaou (Pap) test results. A total of 18,174 females ages 16 to 26 years were randomized and allocated into one of three clinical trials (protocols 007, 013, and 015). Vaccine or placebo was given at baseline, month 2, and month 6. Pap testing was conducted at regular intervals. Cervical and anogenital swabs were collected for HPV DNA testing. Examination for the presence of vulvar and vaginal lesions was also done. Endpoints included high-grade cervical, vulvar, or vaginal lesions (CIN 2/3, VIN 2/3, or ValN 2/3). Mean follow-up time was 42 months post dose 1. Vaccine efficacy against HPV 6/11/16/18-related high-grade cervical lesions in the per-protocol and intention-to-treat populations was 98.2% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 93.3-99.8] and 51.5% (95% CI, 40.6-60.6), respectively. Vaccine efficacy against HPV 6/11/16/18-related high-grade vulvar and vaginal lesions in the per-protocol and intention-to-treat populations was 100.0% (95% CI, 82.6-100.0) and 79.0% (95% CI, 56.4-91.0), respectively. Efficacy in the intention-to-treat population tended to be lower in older women, women with more partners, and women with abnormal Pap test results. The efficacy of quadrivalent HPV vaccine against high-grade cervical and external anogenital neoplasia remains high through 42 months post vaccination. ©2009 American Association for Cancer Research

Calculations of the pressure drop in the natural circulation boiler evaporator

The paper presents different models used to determine pressure losses in two-phase flows: the homogeneous model, the Lockhart-Martinelli, the Friedel and the Chisholm phase-slip models and the Martinelli-Nelson graphical method. The pressure losses are calculated for the evaporator of an OP-210 boiler with the output of 210×103 kg/h operating in one of the Polish power plants. The results obtained by means of the presented models are compared to each other

Calculations of the pressure drop in the natural circulation boiler evaporator

The paper presents different models used to determine pressure losses in two-phase flows: the homogeneous model, the Lockhart-Martinelli, the Friedel and the Chisholm phase-slip models and the Martinelli-Nelson graphical method. The pressure losses are calculated for the evaporator of an OP-210 boiler with the output of 210×103 kg/h operating in one of the Polish power plants. The results obtained by means of the presented models are compared to each other

Parents’ Knowledge and Attitude towards HPV and HPV Vaccination in Poland

HPV is one of the diseases of civilization that causes cervical cancer, among other diseases. For this reason, a vaccination program has been introduced worldwide for preadolescent, sexually inactive seronegative girls. However, the decision to vaccinate young girls must be made by the parents. In Poland, vaccinations are recommended but not financed by the government, which affects their choices, and there is insufficient knowledge of the diseases caused by genital HPV types. In addition, there are cultural, social, and even religious factors to be considered. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the state of knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccines among parents. Two hundred and eighty-eight parents participated in the study, but only 180 of them declared that they had ever heard of HPV (62.5%). Therefore, only these parents completed the entire questionnaire consisting of 34 questions. The parents’ answers were analyzed with the Fisher’s and chi-squared tests. The study showed that parents’ knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccination in Poland is low (49.4% of correct answers). Parents’ attitudes were only influenced by knowledge and education and not by other parameters such as age, gender, place of residence, and the number of children. This study indicates that parents need to be educated about the threats of HPV and the possibilities of prophylactic vaccination