Bank Lending and Relationship Capital

I develop an equilibrium theory of bank lending relationships in an economy subject to search frictions and limited enforceability. The model features a dynamic contracting problem embedded within a directed search equilibrium with aggregate and bank-specific uncertainty. The interaction between search and agency frictions generates a slow accumulation of lending relationship capital and distorts the optimal allocation of credit along both intensive and extensive margins. A crisis characterized by a sizable destruction of lending relationships therefore leads to a significant contraction in credit and a slow recovery, consistent with the Great Recession. I calibrate the model to study aggregate and cross-sectional implications and analyze policies aimed at reviving bank lending

Retinal Measurements by spectral domain optical coherence tomography: Normative data and associations in adolescents

Aim: To determine the distributions and develop a normative database for spectral domain Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) measured macular and optic disc parameters in adolescents. To investigate the association of macular and optic disc parameters with demographic, ocular and perinatal variables. Methods: Study participants were tested as part of the Sydney Childhood Eye Study between 2003 and 2011. During this study a comprehensive ocular examination including OCT scanning was performed and a detailed questionnaire was completed by participants and their parents. Results: Normative values of spectral domain OCT retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), optic disc and macular measurements in young adults and children were determined. Significant associations of these parameters with ethnicity and ocular biometry were found. Also significant associations of birth parameters with OCT measured parameters were found. Inner and outer macular thickness along with total macular volume was found to be significantly thinner in offspring of diabetic pregnancies. Conclusion: This thesis documents normative values and associations for the RNFL, optic disc and macula measured using spectral domain OCT in adolescents. The values and associations reported in this study can inform clinicians on the normal variation in, and factors influencing, OCT measured retinal parameters

Plant Controller Tuning: Investigation of Tuning Method

This report discusses the research done and basic understanding of the proposed topic, which is Plant Controller Tuning: Investigation of Tuning Method. There are varieties of tuning method for a process plant, such as the linear(conventional) and non-linear tuning method. In this paper, the testing will be done on-line in UTP Pilot air plant in building 23. The problem PID parameters using conventional method are fixed from the beginning of transient response until steady state

Baseband Processor Design of Multi-purpose RFID Tag

Radio frequency identification has found ubiquitous usage in today‟s industry. Object identification and tracking, supply chain management, anti-theft and fraud systems are just some of the uses RFID tags find in today‟s market. As the RFID technology competes with other technologies present in the market, a large amount of research has been undertaken in order to optimize the performance and cost factors of the readers and tags involved in the RFID system. Various implementations on different devices such as ICs and CMOS System on Chip (Soc) have been tried out. FPGAs are also being considered as a potential target device for implementing RFID systems. This project aims at the design of an FPGA implementable RFID Tag processor design for the purpose of baseband signal processing. A new architecture has been proposed and implemented for this processor. This architecture takes into consideration the flexibility of the entire system with the help if independent sub modules. Also, the suggested architecture has taken into consideration the creation of an innovative single tag for multiple purposes which can interact with various types of readers and convey the required information to each one of them. The RFID tag has been designed in accordance to EPCglobal Class1 Generation2 standard for operation in the range of 860-960 MHz in the air interface. The design of the tag components has been done with the help of XILINX and the verifications and analysis with ModelSim

Incidence of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: To systematically assess and review the global incidence of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia using meta analyses and explore the factors associated with the variation of incidence of CML. Methods: Observational studies reporting CML from the globe were systematically searched in databases including MEDLINE (Ovid) and ProQuest. The author screened the studies and extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Hoy’s risk of Bias tool was used to assess the biases in individual studies. Results: Seven studies reporting CML Incidence were included. pooled estimate of the CML incidence were 0.92 per 100,000 populations (95% CI: 0.70 – 1.22), Subgroup analysis shows no significant regional variation between Europe vs other country and global estimate. There was no trend when CML plotted over time. Conclusion: Given the pooled estimates vary widely with substantial heterogeneity, larger, well-designed studies especially in region and countries of developing world (Asia and Africa) are warranted to better understand the frequency and burden of CML

Application of Unified Power Flow Controller to Improve the Performance of Wind Energy Conversion System

This research introduces the unified power flow controller (UPFC) as a means to improve the overall performance of wind energy conversion system (WECS) through the development of an appropriate control algorithm. Also, application of the proposed UPFC control algorithm has been extended in this research to overcome some problems associated with the internal faults associated with WECS- voltage source converter (VSC), such as miss-fire, fire-through and dc-link faults

Xylanase Production by Fusarium Solani in Solid State Fermentation

Xylanase constitute one of the most important groups of enzymes for commercial use. In the present study, production of xylanase was enhanced using a newly isolated F. solani SyrN7 strain from infected wheat seeds via solid state fermentation (SSF) using wheat bran as substrate. Optimum pH and temperature for enzyme production were found to be 8 and 25 °C, respectively. The wheat bran to mineral solution ratios were tested. The ratio 1:3 (w/v) yielded the highest xylanase production. Among the different nitrogen sources investigated, yeast extract was the best nitrogen source and gave the highest xylanase activity (1593 U/g). The cultivation systems can easily be modified with the above tested features and enhanced the xylanase yield by 3-fold

Discovery and Validation of New Regulatory RNA Elements in Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium that exhibits a unique biphasic developmental cycle that can be disrupted by growth in the presence of IFN-g and b-lactams, giving rise to an abnormal growth state termed persistence. Relatively little is known about the regulatory mechanisms that control temporal gene expression during the developmental cycle or the control of persistence and reactivation. Here we have examined the expression of a newly defined family of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are differentially expressed during the developmental cycle and the induction of persistence and reactivation (Using IFNγ and Carbenicillin). Non-coding RNAs were initially identified using an intergenic tiling microarray and were confirmed by Northern blotting. A group of 10 ncRNAs were mapped and characterized and compared to the previously described chlamydial ncRNAs (IhtA, pCHL antisense transcripts). The 5’ and 3’ ends of the ncRNAs were determined using an RNA circularization procedure. Promoter predictions indicated that all ncRNAs were expressed from s66 promoters and 9 ncRNAs contained non-templated 3’ poly-A or poly-AG additions. Expression of ncRNAs was studied by Northern blotting during i) the normal developmental cycle, ii) IFN-g-induced persistence, and iii) carbenicillin-induced persistence. Differential temporal expression during the developmental cycle was seen for all ncRNAs and distinct differences in expression were seen during IFN-g and carbenicillin-induced persistence and reactivation. Two of the studied ncRNAs were cis acting antisense molecules (CTIG270 and CTIG153). Expression of CTIG270 in a surrogate E. coli system along with its target gene ftsI proved that it was an antisense RNA, and it effectively controlled ftsI availability. A screening system was developed to determine the targets of potential trans-acting ncRNAs. The screen was composed of two compatible plasmids, a high copy effector plasmid expressing the ncRNA and a low/medium copy target plasmid expressing chlamydial library. Target plasmid contained translational fusion between chlamydial library and a positive/negative selection fusion system (ccdB/CAT fusion/TEV protease). The selection process to identify potential targets for ncRNAs was carried out over two stages. Stage one was to eliminate self ligated plasmids and non translational fusions, in this phase, only CAT+ ccdB resistant cells survived chloramphenicol selection i.e. cells representing true translational fusions survived antibiotic selection. Plasmids enriched for by stage one selection were subjected to stage two selection. In stage two ccdB sensitive cells were double transformed with both target plasmid and effector plasmid. Only in instances when ncRNA inhibits translation of ccdB would cells survive this selection. Stage two selection enriched for target(s) of ncRNA under test. We show in details the construction of this screening system and its functional aspect