Tests of Financial Intermediation and Banking Reform in China

We develop tests of financial intermediation by national banking systems that exploit regional financial and economic data. Derived from a model of bank profit maximization, the tests are based on the expectation that in efficient systems, financial intermediation should not be overly influenced by policy variables; should be greater where projects are more profitable and require greater financing - typically in faster growing, richer, industrial areas; and should direct funds to the best projects regardless of where deposits originate. We apply these tests to Chinese provincial data from 1991-97 for all state banks, the Agricultural Bank of China, rural credit cooperatives, and other financial institutions. China implemented a series of widely publicized financial reforms in the mid-1990s designed to improve bank performance. However, descriptive and estimation results suggest that the importance of state bank policy lending (to support SOEs and finance agricultural procurement) has increased, not fallen, during the recent period, and lending does not respond to economic fundamentals. Only the group of smaller, less-regulated financial institutions appear commercially oriented. Despite reforms, significant barriers to efficient inter-regional financial intermediation remain.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39654/3/wp270.pd

Tests of Financial Intermediation and Banking Reform in China

We develop tests of financial intermediation by national banking systems that exploit regional financial and economic data. Derived from a model of bank profit maximization, the tests are based on the expectation that in efficient systems, financial intermediation should not be overly influenced by policy variables; should be greater where projects are more profitable and require greater financing - typically in faster growing, richer, industrial areas; and should direct funds to the best projects regardless of where deposits originate. We apply these tests to Chinese provincial data from 1991-97 for all state banks, the Agricultural Bank of China, rural credit cooperatives, and other financial institutions. China implemented a series of widely publicized financial reforms in the mid-1990s designed to improve bank performance. However, descriptive and estimation results suggest that the importance of state bank policy lending (to support SOEs and finance agricultural procurement) has increased, not fallen, during the recent period, and lending does not respond to economic fundamentals. Only the group of smaller, less-regulated financial institutions appear commercially oriented. Despite reforms, significant barriers to efficient inter-regional financial intermediation remain.

Evaluation of naturally occurring and anthropogenic contamination in Missouri streams

The goal of this study is to observe the values and variability of water quality parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates in watersheds with very little anthropogenic impact and to compare these values with those acquired in watersheds with more anthropogenic impact. The following five HUC 12-digit watersheds had very little anthropogenic impact and were considered pristine : Rogers Creek, Mill Creek, Middle West Fork-Black River, Bee Fork, and Ottery Creek. Five largely urban sub-basins were also considered; these basins are: Grand Glaize Creek, Glaize Creek, Sugar Creek, Hominy Creek, and Grindstone Creek. For each watershed, both water quality parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled. The macroinvertebrate samples were used to calculate the biotic index for each stream using the Missouri Department of Natural Resources method, percent Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, and the Hilsenhoff Family Biotic Index to help better determine long-term stream health. Water quality parameters were also analyzed to identify seasonal changes and patterns between the streams. Correlation matrices were constructed to determine significant correlations between water chemistry parameters at the pristine steams, the urban streams, and when considering all streams as one sample set. Welch ANOVA was additionally performed to determine which streams were statistically part of the same population. For most water quality parameters, the pristine streams tended to be grouped as one population, while the urban streams were often separated into two populations. The reason for differing populations is most likely related to land use/land cover and varying activities in each watershed --Abstract, page iii

Variscan to Neogene long-term landscape evolution at the Moroccan passive continental margin (Tarfaya Basin and western Anti-Atlas)

The present study introduces the first comprehensive thermochronological research at the south-ern Moroccan passive continental margin. The established low-temperature thermochronological methods apatite and zircon fission-track (AFT, ZFT) as well as apatite and zircon (U-Th-Sm)/He (AHe, ZHe) dating combined with time-temperature (t-T) path modelling have been applied to resolve the long-term landscape evolution of the Tarfaya Basin and western Anti-Atlas. The Tarfaya Basin is the northern part of the Tarfaya-Laâyoune-Dakhla Basin that extends over 1000 km along the Moroccan Central Atlantic margin. The basin is characterised by vast subsidence since Mid-Triassic times, whereby up to 12 km of Mesozoic to Cenozoic sedimentary rocks have been accumulated. In the northeast, the basin is bounded by an ENE-trending Palaeozoic fold belt, the Anti-Atlas. The mountain belt consists of numerous widespread Precambrian basement inliers surrounded by a thick Palaeozoic sedimentary succession that is folded during the Variscan orogeny. Due to massive surface uplift and exhumation since the Upper Carboniferous–Lower Permian, the Anti-Atlas reaches elevations of more than 3300 m and therefore, constitutes a potential source area for the surrounding basins. The study intends to analyse and interpret thermochronological data to constrain the pattern and history of subsidence and exhumation at the southern Moroccan passive continental margin. The main research objective was focused on the thermal, subsidence and exhumation history of the Tarfaya Basin in order to better comprehend the hydrocarbon generation in time and space. To determine the t-T development, thermochronological analyses were performed on 66 outcrop and well samples from Mesozoic–Cenozoic sedimentary rocks. The results reveal a continuous subsi-dence phase in the offshore Tarfaya Basin from Mid-Triassic onward to recent times. In contrast, AHe and AFT data as well as thermal modelling point to a basin inversion in the northeastern onshore basin starting in the Palaeogene at 65–50 Ma. The rock uplift and exhumation period resulted in the erosion of a 1.2–1.6 km thick Cretaceous–Palaeogene sedimentary pile at an average rate of 0.025 mm/a corresponding with peak Atlasian surface uplift in the Cenozoic. Detrital AFT ages from 92 (±16) to 237 (±35) Ma of the Upper Cretaceous–Neogene succession indicate no heating above 60 °C confirming immature to early mature Cenomanian to Campanian and Eocene source rocks in the onshore Tarfaya Basin. The second objective dealt with the thermal, subsidence and exhumation history of the western Anti-Atlas mountain belt. Thermochronological data of 34 Precambrian–Lower Carboniferous sam-ples propose a common geological evolution of the western Anti-Atlas. ZFT ages from 287 (±23) to 331 (±24) Ma point to a main exhumation in the Upper Carboniferous–Lower Permian related to the Variscan folding and post-folding erosion. The rock uplift and exhumation phase lasted up to the Lower Cretaceous, whereby 9 km of Precambrian–Palaeozoic overburden has been eroded at an average rate of 0.046 mm/a. In the late Lower Cretaceous to Upper Cretaceous, the western Anti-Atlas underwent a minor subsidence phase in accordance with the widespread transgression across the North African continent in the Cenomanian–Turonian. AHe ages between 49 (±3) and 89 (±5) Ma as well as t-T path modelling indicate the final exhumation period starting in the Upper Cretaceous, contemporaneously with the earliest record of surface uplift in the Atlas system during Senonian (90–65 Ma). The exhumation process and erosion of the 1.5–2.5 km thick Cretaceous overburden continued until present time at an average rate of 0.045 mm/a. Except for a hiatus in the Upper Cretaceous, the extensive denudation events in the western Anti-Atlas suggest a continuous clastic sediment flux to the Tarfaya Basin from Triassic to recent times. The third objective considered the establishment of a correlation between subsidence history of the Tarfaya Basin and exhumation history of the western Anti-Atlas. Hence, a provenance analysis of the Cretaceous to Neogene sedimentary succession has been performed. Thermochronological data suggest a continuous sediment transport from the western Anti-Atlas to the Tarfaya Basin from Lower Cretaceous onward to present time. Furthermore, due to Precambrian ZHe and ZFT single grain ages, a concurrent sediment input from a cratonic area, i.e. the Reguibat Shield, occurred. During the early Upper Cretaceous, the influx from various source areas into the Tarfaya Basin decreased. In the Neogene, the sediment input from the cratonic area reduced and an influx emerged from the High Atlas probably by a coastal longitudinal flow, i.e. the Canary Current. Finally, the northeastern onshore Tarfaya Basin delivered clastic material to the offshore and southern onshore basin in the Neogene

Gesundheitliche Beschwerden und Erkrankungen von Anwohnern einer Kompostierungsanlage aus umweltmedizinischer Sicht im zeitlichen Verlauf : Untersuchungszeitpunkte: 1997, 1999, 2002

Die vorliegende Studie hatte zum Ziel, gesundheitlichen Beschwerden und Erkrankungen von Anwohnern einer Kompostierungsanlage über einen zeitlichen Verlauf von fünf Jahren (Untersuchungszeitpunkte: 1997, 1999, 2002) nach Schließung der Anlage im Jahr 1997 unter Einsatz von umweltmedizinischen und psychometrischen Verfahren zu beschreiben. Dazu wurden in den Jahren 1997 und 2002 alle Anwohner der Wohngebiete Kassel-Niederzwehren und Kassel-Oberzwehren angeschrieben und zur Teilnahme an einer Befragung aufgefordert. Im Jahr 1999 wurde das gleiche Procedere nur bei den bereits an der Untersuchung von 1997 teilgenommenen Personen durchgeführt. Von den Teilnehmern, die sich an allen drei Untersuchungen beteiligten, wurden bei insgesamt 62 Anwohnern des durch eine Kompostierungsanlage exponierten Wohngebietes (Kassel-Niederzwehren) und bei insgesamt 40 in einem äquivalenten nicht exponierten Wohngebiet lebenden Personen (Kassel-Oberzwehren) zu oben genannten Zeitpunkten folgende Erhebungsinstrumente eingesetzt: Der umweltmedizinische Fragebogen zur Beurteilung von mikrobiologischen Immissionen auf die Anwohner von Kompostierungsanlagen sowie die Fragebögen zu psychosomatischen Beschwerden (SOMS-2) und zur Lebensqualität (SF-36-Health-Survey). Die Auswertung der gesundheitlichen Beschwerden zeigte für den Großteil der erfragten Parameter deutlich höhere Angaben beim exponierten bzw. ehemals exponierten Kollektiv. Ein signifikanter Zusammenhang (p&#8804;0,05) zur Geruchsbelästigung konnte für folgende Beschwerden zu allen drei Befragungszeitpunkten gefunden werden: „Aufwachen durch Hustenanfall“, „Pfeifendes Geräusch im Brustkorb“ und „Kurzatmigkeit nach Anstrengung“ (Umweltmedizinischer Fragebogen) sowie „Kopf-/Gesichtsschmerzen“ (SOMS-2). Zu den Parametern, die im Jahr 2002 noch signifikante Unterschiede (p&#8804;0,05) für die Exposition oder die Geruchsbelästigung aufwiesen, gehören: „Husten beim Aufstehen oder sonst im Lauf des Tages“ und „Sinusitis“ (Umweltmedizinischer Fragebogen), „Schmerzen in Armen/Beinen“, „Völlegefühl“, „Vermehrtes Aufstoßen“, „Außergewöhnliche Müdigkeit bei leichter Anstrengung“ und „Unangenehme Kribbelempfindungen“ (SOMS-2) sowie die „Allgemeine Gesundheitswahrnehmung“ als Teilaspekt der körperlichen und seelischen Lebensqualität (SF-36). Deutlich signifikante Unterschiede (p&#8804;0,05) zwischen den beiden Kollektiven oder für die Geruchsbelästigung in den Jahren 1997 und/oder 1999 zeigten folgende Beschwerden: „Engegefühl im Brustkorb“, „Kurzatmigkeit in Ruhe“, „Erkältung >5mal“, „Akute Bronchitis“, „Appetitmangel“, „Übelkeit/Erbrechen“, „Augenjucken >100mal“, „Augenbrennen >100mal“, „Übermäßigte Müdigkeit >50mal“, „Schüttelfrost“ und „Gelenkbeschwerden >100mal“ (Umweltmedizinischer Fragebogen) sowie „Bauch-/Magenschmerzen“, „Rückenschmerzen“, „Gelenkschmerzen“, „Übelkeit“, „Druckgefühl, Kribbeln, Unruhe im Bauch“, „Speiseunverträglichkeit“ und „Schlechter Geschmack im Mund“ (SOMS-2) als auch die Teilaspekte der gesundheitlichen Lebensqualität „Körperliche Schmerzen“, „Vitalität“ und „Soziale Funktionsfähigkeit“ (SF-36). Aus den Ergebnissen wird geschlossen, dass die aufgetretenen Beschwerden, die im Verlauf der Zeit abgenommen haben, am ehesten als direkt zusammenhängende, akute Reaktion auf die Exposition durch eine Kompostierungsanlage bzw. Gerüche zu sehen sind. Die Beschwerden, die länger andauerten bzw. im Jahr 2002 immer noch signifikant erhöht (p<0,05) bei den ehemals Exponierten bzw. Geruchsbelästigten waren, sind am ehesten im Sinne einer chronischen Gesundheitsbeeinträchtigung bzw. Langzeitfolge der Exposition durch eine Kompostierungsanlage bzw. Gerüche zu werten.By the presented study it was intended to describe health complaints and diseases of residents living close to a composting plant over a chronological sequence of five years (time of survey: 1997, 1999, 2002) by using environmental medical and psychometric procedures after closing down the composting plant in 1997. Therefore the residents of Kassel-Niederzwehren (area next to the composting plant) and Kassel-Oberzwehren (area without exposition), whereof 62 persons of Kassel-Niederzwehren and 40 of Kassel-Oberzwehren participated at all three surveys, were asked to take part a survey containing following instruments: an environmental health questionnaire, a questionnaire on somatoform disorders (SOMS-2) and a questionnaire on health related quality of life (SF-36). The evaluation of the health complaints showed for most parameters in question higher results for the exposed respectively the formerly exposed collective. Significantly related (p&#8804;0,05) with odour annoyance at all three times of surveying were the following symptoms: “waking up due to coughing”, “wheezing” and “shortness of breath following exertion” (environmental health questionnaire) as well as “headache/facial pain” (SOMS-2). To the parameters, still showing significant correlation (p&#8804;0,05) with the exposition to the composting plant or the odour annoyance in the year 2002, belong: “coughing on rising or during the day” and “sinusitis” (environmental health questionnaire), “pain in arms/legs”, “abdominal fullness”, “extreme fatigue with light exertion”, “increased regurgitation” and “unpleasant prickling sensations” (SOMS-2) as well as the “general health perception” as subscale of the health related quality of life (SF-36). Significant differences (p&#8804;0,05) between both collectives or for the odour annoyance in 1997 and/or 1999 were showed for the following complaints: “chest tightness”, “shortness of breath at rest”, “common cold (>5x/year)”, “bronchitis”, “loss of appetite”, ”nausea/vomiting”, “itching of eyes (>100x/year)”, “burning of eyes (>100x/year)”, “excessive tiredness (>50x/year)”, “shivering” and “joint disorders (>100x/year)” (environmental health questionnaire) as well as “abdominal/stomach pain”, “back pain”, “joint pain”, “nausea”, “feeling of pressure, prickling, disturbance in the abdomen”, “aliment incompatibility” and “bad taste in the mouth” (SOMS-2) as also the subscales of health quality of life “physical pains”, “vitality” and “social efficiency” (SF-36). It was concluded from the results that the appeared complaints, which decreased in the course of time, are most likely seen as directly correlated, acute reaction of the exposition to the composting plant respectively odours. Health complaints, which persisted over the time or still have been significantly elevated (p&#8804;0,05) in 2002 for the formerly exposed or odour annoyed residents, are valuated to be most likely a chronic health disturbance or alternatively a long-term consequence of the exposition to the composting plant or odours

Error Detection in Laser Beam Melting Systems by High Resolution Imaging

Laser Beam Melting as a member of Additive Manufacturing processes allows the fabrication of three-dimensional metallic parts with almost unlimited geometrical complexity and very good mechanical properties. However, its potential in areas of application such as aerospace or medicine has not yet been exploited due to the lack of process stability and quality management. For that reason samples with pre-defined process irregularities are built and the resulting errors are detected using high-resolution imaging. This paper presents an overview of typical process errors and proposes a catalog of measures to reduce process breakdowns. Based on this systematical summary a future contribution to quality assurance and process documentation is aspired.Mechanical Engineerin

Vulnerabilidad dependiente de asfixia perinatal de neuronas dopaminérgicas a insultos metabólicos posnatales

Tesis (Tecnólogo Médico, mención morfofisiopatología y citodiagnóstico)Asfixia perinatal implica interrupción del intercambio de gases al momento de nacer, resultando en muerte si la biodisponibilidad de oxígeno no es reestablecida. A pesar de que la pronta re-oxigenación permite revivir al neonato, el insulto produce muerte neuronal y alteraciones neurológicas a largo plazo. Se ha discutido si estas consecuencias a largo plazo de la asfixia perinatal dependen de la duración del insulto, o de cambios en las vías metabólicas que determinan una vulnerabilidad selectiva a insultos metabólicos postnatales que puedan ocurrir a lo largo del desarrollo, limitando la capacidad del sistema nervioso central para responder a factores de estrés metabólicos y/o ambientales. Los mecanismos por los que la asfixia perinatal produciría esta vulnerabilidad no están dilucidados. Por otra parte, se ha observado que la asfixia perinatal no afecta todas las regiones cerebrales por igual, ya que existen regiones privilegiadas en cuanto a reservas energéticas y mecanismos anti-stress, y otras, como los ganglios basales, especialmente vulnerables al daño y malfuncionamiento. Las neuronas dopaminérgicas, que constituyen el sistema pivotal de los ganglios basales, han demostrado ser muy susceptibles a la asfixia perinatal. Los mecanismos de esta susceptibilidad selectiva tampoco están dilucidados. En el presente proyecto, se propone estudiar la vulnerabilidad a un segundo insulto metabólico de las neuronas dopaminérgicas de ratas expuestas a asfixia perinatal, evaluado en cultivos organotípicos, monitoreando los componentes esenciales de los ganglios basales, substantia nigra, neostriado y neocortex, midiendo muerte celular, fenotipo celular y neuroquímico, cuantificando parámetros morfológicos y celulares con microscopia confocal y estereología. Esta investigación determinó que el efecto de un segundo insulto se supedita a las condiciones, grado y tiempo de hipoxia al cual se sometan al nacer

USE OF A VIBRATING BUILD PLATFORM DURING POWDER-BED FUSION OF METALS USING A LASER BEAM

Powder-bed fusion of metals using a laser beam (PBF-LB/M) is an additive manufacturing technique with rising interest in industry and academia. One major topic of current research is to optimize the performance of parts manufactured by PBF-LB/M. The use of vibrations during the solidification of metals to improve their mechanical properties is well-known for metal casting and directed energy deposition. In this work, a vibrating build platform was used during the PBF-LB/M process to influence the microstructure of parts. Analyses show an increase in sample hardness by up to 12.3 % for the same process parameters. Especially for process parameters that produce parts with lower relative densities, vibrations have an influence on part density. With an increase in part density, this effect gets less pronounced.Mechanical Engineerin

Low heritability in pharmacokinetics of talinolol: a pharmacogenetic twin study on the heritability of the pharmacokinetics of talinolol, a putative probe drug of MDR1 and other membrane transporters

Abstract Background Efflux transporters like MDR1 and MRP2 may modulate the pharmacokinetics of about 50 % of all drugs. It is currently unknown how much of the variation in the activities of important drug membrane transporters like MDR1 or MRP2 is determined by genetic or by environmental factors. In this study we assessed the heritability of the pharmacokinetics of talinolol as a putative probe drug for MDR1 and possibly other membrane transporters. Methods Talinolol pharmacokinetics were investigated in a repeated dose study in 42 monozygotic and 13 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs. The oral clearance of talinolol was predefined as the primary parameter. Heritability was analyzed by structural equation modeling and by within- and between-subject variance and talinolol clearance was correlated with polymorphisms in MDR1, MRP2, BCRP, MDR5, OATP1B1, and OCT1. Results Talinolol clearance varied approximately ninefold in the studied sample of healthy volunteers. The correlation of clearances between siblings was not significantly different for the monozygotic and dizygotic pairs. All data analyses consistently showed that variation of talinolol pharmacokinetics was mainly determined by environmental effects. Structural equation modeling attributed 53.5 % of the variation of oral clearance to common environmental effects influencing both siblings to the same extent and 46.5 % to unique environmental effects randomly affecting individual subjects. Talinolol pharmacokinetics were significantly dependent on sex, body mass index, total protein consumption, and vegetable consumption. Conclusions The twin study revealed that environmental factors explained much more of the variation in pharmacokinetics of talinolol than genetic factors. Trial registration European clinical trials database number: EUDRA-CT 2008-006223-31. Registered 26 September 2008. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01845194

Holocene landscape evolution, palaeoclimate and human impact in the Fotsch Valley, Stubai Alps, Austria: Interrogating biomarkers, stable isotopes, macrofossils and palynological indicators from a subalpine mire archive

Peatlands are receiving increasing attention in palaeoenvironmental research and represent very useful terrestrial archives for reconstructing vegetation, climate and human history. Previous palaeoenvironmental studies in the Fotsch Valley, Stubai Alps, Austria, focused on geoarchaeological investigations on the Ullafelsen representing a very important prehistorical encampment site used by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers (10.9–9.5 cal. kyr BP). In order to contribute to a better understanding of the landscape evolution of the Fotsch Valley, we here studied the close-by subalpine ‘Potsdamer Hütte Mire’ by applying radiocarbon dating as well as elemental, biomarker, compound-specific stable isotope, palynological and macrofossil analyses on bulk peat samples. The calculated age-depth model using R Bacon indicates the beginning of peat formation during the Early Holocene and shows a strongly reduced peat accumulation rate (PAR) from 170 to 121 cm depth (8.5–2.1 cal. kyr BP) and/or a striking hiatus. Results of leaf wax-derived n-alkane biomarkers as well as macrofossils and palynological indicators reflect the local presence of coniferous trees and the synchronous expansion of deciduous trees during the Early Holocene. The above-mentioned strongly reduced PAR and/or hiatus coincides with the Neolithic, the Bronze and the Iron Age, and goes hand in hand with strong changes in vegetation and an increase of micro-charcoal and black carbon. Despite age uncertainties, these changes can be explained with strongly increasing human and livestock activities in form of deforestation, domestic fires and the beginning of Alpine pastoralism. The latter is confirmed by the finding of pasture and cultural indicator pollen (Cerealia-type, Rumex, Plantago lanceolata, Poaceae) occurring since the Middle to Late Bronze Age. The oxygen isotope composition of sugar biomarkers (δ18Osugars) likely reflects the dry versus humid climatic variability associated with the Holocene climatic optimum during the Mesolithic, the Roman Age, the Late Antique Little Ice Age, the Middle Ages and the Little Ice Age