Juridical and Financial Considerations on the Public Recapitalisation and Rescue of Financial Institutions During Periods of Financial Crises (Part I)

As well as a consideration of why the lender of last resort facility should be used for emergency situations and systemically relevant institutions in particular, an interesting point which will be considered in this publication is the comparison between the European Central Bank (ECB) Recommendation and its application by the Commission in the Re capitalisation Communication, specifically with its Annex, where the Commission explains how it determines the price of equity or own funds (ordinary or common shares) - balancing the “real value” with the “market value” within a crisis context. This publication will also consider how to transform the Crisis into an opportunity in order to minimise tax burdens to taxpayers – as well as making financial markets more efficient. Furthermore, whether the Commission and Member States have applied the methodology (the determination of the price of equity – as stated in the Annex to the Recapitalisation Communication on Financial Institutions) in determining the price of equity with respect to the capital of banks acquired by Member States, will be addressed. Such consideration could provide a vital key to determining the real value of State Aid and the best possible price for which capital could be sold. Given the scale of government intervention and State rescues which occurred during the recent crisis – as well as the prominence accorded to measures aimed at preventing and limiting distortions of competition, calls have been made for competition authorities to take on more formidable roles in designing and implementing exit strategies. In order to foster competition as much as possible, it is proposed that ”governments should provide financial institutions with incentives to prevent them from depending on government support once the economy begins to recover.

Sex-related differences in chromatic sensitivity

Generally women are believed to be more discriminating than men in the use of colour names and this is often taken to imply superior colour vision. However, if both X-chromosome linked colour deficient males (~8%) and females (<1%) as well as heterozygote female carriers (~15%) are excluded from comparisons, then differences between men and women in red-green colour discrimination have been reported as not being significant (e.g., Pickford, 1944; Hood et al., 2006). We re-examined this question by assessing the performance of 150 males and 150 females on the Colour Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) test (Rodriguez-Carmona, 2005). This is a sensitive test that yields small colour detection thresholds. The test employs direction-specific, moving, chromatic stimuli embedded in a background of random, dynamic, luminance contrast noise. A four-alternative, forced-choice procedure is employed to measure the subject’s thresholds for detection of colour signals in 16 directions in colour space, while ensuring that the subject cannot make use of any residual luminance contrast signals. In addition, we measured the Rayleigh anomaloscope matches in a subgroup of 111 males and 114 females. All the age-matched males (30.8 ± 9.7) and females (26.7 ± 8.8) had normal colour vision as diagnosed by a battery of conventional colour vision tests. Females with known colour deficient relatives were excluded from the study. Comparisons between the male and female groups revealed no significant differences in anomaloscope midpoints (p=0.709), but a significant difference in matching ranges (p=0.040); females on average tended to have a larger mean range (4.11) than males (3.75). Females also had significantly higher CAD thresholds than males along the red-green (p=0.0004), but not along the yellow-blue discrimination axis. The differences between males and females in red-green discrimination may be related to the heterozygosity in X-linked cone photopigment expression common among females

Seroprevalence of Blood-Borne Infections Among Blood Donors in Venezuela, 2001–2002

Proses reproduksi wanita menurut ilmu pengetahuan modern yang selama ini diyakini oleh para ilmuwan Barat ternyata sudah dijelaskan puluhan abad silam oleh al-Qur’an dan hadis. Teori reproduksi dan penciptaan manusia dari sudut pandang Islam dan sains ternyata tidak bertentangan, bahkan saling melengkapi satu dengan yang lain. Hadis nabi yang menjelaskan reproduksi wanita dan proses penciptaan manusia merupakan penjelas dari al-Qur’an dan diperkuat oleh data-data ilmiah sains teknologi. Berangkat dari itulah, artikel ini coba mengkaji tentang reproduksi wanita dengan pendekatan hadis tematik. Sebab pembahasan tematik ini sangat urgen untuk mengembangkan wawasan tentang hadis dalam membahas satu tema tertentu secara tuntas. Female reproduction processes according to modern science that had been believed by Western scientists were already described dozens of centuries ago by the Qur’an and hadith. Theory of reproduction and the creation of man from the viewpoint of Islam and science were not at odds, even complement each other. Hadith which describes a woman’s reproduction and the process of creation of man is explanatory of the Qur’an and reinforced by scientific data science technology. Start from it, this article try to examines the female reproductive with thematic hadith approach. For the thematic discussion is very urgent to develop an insight into the traditions in discussing a particular theme completely.</p

Reply to `Comment on ``Helmholtz Theorem and the V-Gauge in the Problem of Superluminal and Instantaneous Signals in Classical Electrodynamics" by A. Chubykalo Et Al' by J. A. Heras [FOUND. Phys. Lett. vol. 19(6) p. 579 (2006)]

This is the reply to `COMMENT ON ``HELMHOLTZ THEOREM AND THE V-GAUGE IN THE PROBLEM OF SUPERLUMINAL AND INSTANTANEOUS SIGNALS IN CLASSICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS" BY A. CHUBYKALO ET AL' BY J. A. HERAS [FOUND. PHYS. LETT. vol. 19(6) p. 579 (2006)]Comment: 5 pages, submitted to Foundations of Physic

The Full Periodicity Kernel for σ Maps

AbstractLet σ be the topological space formed by the points (x, y) of R2 such that either x2 + y2 = 1, or 0 ≤ x ≤ 2 and y = 1. A σ map ƒ is a continuous self-map of σ having the branching point (0, 1) as a fixed point. We denote by Per(ƒ) the set of periods of all periodic points of ƒ, and by N the set of positive integers. We prove that if ƒ is a σ map and {2, 3, 4, 5, 7} ⊆ Per(ƒ), then Per(ƒ) = N. Conversely, if S ⊆ N is a set such that for every σ map ƒ S ⊆ Per(ƒ) implies Per(ƒ) = N, then {2, 3, 4, 5, 7} ⊆ S

Metalloproteases, vascular remodeling and atherothrombotic syndromes

Defects in the synthesis and breakdown of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are now seen as key processes in the development of atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications. Correlations have been observed between circulating levels of ECM biomarkers and the clinical manifestations of and risk factors for atherosclerosis. Several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), endopeptidases that can degrade the ECM, such as MMP-9 and MMP-10, play important roles in the pathophysiology of atherothrombosis and contribute to the expansion of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Moreover, they may also be useful biomarkers of atherosclerotic risk and serve as predictors of coronary and cerebrovascular disease recurrence. Although at present the effect of tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) on cardiovascular disease prognosis is still uncertain, the ECM could be a promising therapeutic target in atherothrombotic disease, and several MMP inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical trials

The PDD method for solving linear, nonlinear, and fractional PDEs problems

We review the Probabilistic Domain Decomposition (PDD) method for the numerical solution of linear and nonlinear Partial Differential Equation (PDE) problems. This Domain Decomposition (DD) method is based on a suitable probabilistic representation of the solution given in the form of an expectation which, in turns, involves the solution of a Stochastic Differential Equation (SDE). While the structure of the SDE depends only upon the corresponding PDE, the expectation also depends upon the boundary data of the problem. The method consists of three stages: (i) only few values of the sought solution are solved by Monte Carlo or Quasi-Monte Carlo at some interfaces; (ii) a continuous approximation of the solution over these interfaces is obtained via interpolation; and (iii) prescribing the previous (partial) solutions as additional Dirichlet boundary conditions, a fully decoupled set of sub-problems is finally solved in parallel. For linear parabolic problems, this is based on the celebrated Feynman-Kac formula, while for semilinear parabolic equations requires a suitable generalization based on branching diffusion processes. In case of semilinear transport equations and the Vlasov-Poisson system, a generalization of the probabilistic representation was also obtained in terms of the Method of Characteristics (characteristic curves). Finally, we present the latest progress towards the extension of the PDD method for nonlocal fractional operators. The algorithm notably improves the scalability of classical algorithms and is suited to massively parallel implementation, enjoying arbitrary scalability and fault tolerance properties. Numerical examples conducted in 1D and 2D, including some for the KPP equation and Plasma Physics, are given.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Sistemas de carga y transporte del tomate para industria

En el cultivo de las hortalizas para industria, la fase de post-cosecha, entendiendo como tal las operaciones que hay que realizar desde que el producto es recolectado hasta que entra en las líneas de fabricación, reviste una importancia capital puesto que influye directamente sobre la calidad de la materia prima con la que se elaborarán las conservas. En el caso del tomate para industria la importancia de la post-cosecha se deriva de la fragilidad del fruto que ha de ser manipulado y del gran volumen de frutos que ha de ser transportado (en algunas industrias hasta 2.000 t/día), lo que obliga a organizar una infraestructura de transporte complicada y cara

The 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism influences the endothelial response to IL-1 and the modulatory effect of pravastatin

BACKGROUND: Increased plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) levels lead to impaired fibrinolytic function associated with higher cardiovascular risk. PAI-1 expression may be regulated by different inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1alpha (IL-1). Several polymorphisms have been described in the PAI-1 gene. AIM: We examined the influence of the 4G/5G polymorphism in the promoter region on IL-1alpha-induced PAI-1 expression by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in presence or absence of pravastatin. METHODS AND RESULTS: Genotyped HUVEC were incubated with IL-1alpha (500 U mL(-1)) in presence or absence of pravastatin (1-10 microm). PAI-1 expression was analyzed by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and PAI-1 antigen measured in supernatants by ELISA. IL-1alpha increased PAI-1 secretion in a genotype-dependent manner, and higher values were observed for 4G/4G compared with both 4G/5G and 5G/5G cultures (P < 0.05). Preincubation of HUVEC with 10 microm pravastatin significantly reduced IL-1-induced PAI-1 expression in 4G/4G HUVEC compared with untreated cultures (177.5% +/- 24.5% vs. 257.9% +/- 39.0%, P < 0.05). Pravastatin also attenuated the amount of secreted PAI-1 by 4G/4G HUVEC after IL-1 stimulation (5020.6 +/- 165.7 ng mL(-1) vs. 4261.1 +/- 309.8 ng mL(-1), P < 0.05). This effect was prevented by coincubation with mevalonate, indicating a dependence on HMG-CoA reductase inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: The endothelial 4G/5G PAI-1 genotype influences the PAI-1 response to IL-1alpha and the modulatory effect of pravastatin. As increased PAI-1 levels have been linked to cardiovascular disease the observed endothelial modulation by pravastatin may have potential clinical implications