Topics in electronic money

There has been an increased interest on the electronification of payments systems in the last two decades in general and on electronic money (e-money) on particular in the last decade with increased computing power and decreased cost of communication. E-money did not only attract attention from the academicians but also from central bankers, financial supervisory authorities, treasuries, finance ministries and innovators and operators all around the world. The purpose of this thesis is fourfold. Firstly, it seeks to define and critically assess e-money including the expected functions, necessary features, its potentials and major implications for different sides of financial system. Secondly, it tries to present empirical evidence on the current stage of e-money technology with two case studies, namely Mondei and Digicash. Thirdly, it investigates the perception of e-money innovators and operators with an assumption that they have the power and influence on the future shape of e-money. This section includes the analysis of two European surveys and one additional comparative survey conducted in Miami, the US. Lastly, it studies the free banking implications of e-money covering the impact on monetary policy framework and monetary policy instruments including whether e-money should be regulated or not. The research finds that the current definitions given to the e-money phenomenon is incomplete and defines the necessary functions and features for the future success of e-money applications. It describes e-money trends in Europe and compares it to the US perception finding no serious differences although the FED and the ECB have different approaches to money. Another conclusion the thesis reached is that e-money may result in a new approach to central banking with a contestable framework through the synergies with free banking. Finally, e-money is not seen as a danger for the successful conduct of monetary policy and the thesis underlines that when it is `representative', regulation is possible whereas `independent'money issuance may manage to stay out of the coverage of conventional regulatory frameworks

Validation of Reference Genes for the Relative Quantification of Gene Expression in Human Epicardial Adipose Tissue

BACKGROUND: Relative quantification is a commonly used method for assessing gene expression, however its accuracy and reliability is dependent upon the choice of an optimal endogenous control gene, and such choice cannot be made a priori. There is limited information available on suitable reference genes to be used for studies involving human epicardial adipose tissue. The objective of the current study was to evaluate and identify optimal reference genes for use in the relative quantification of gene expression in human epicardial fat depots of lean, overweight and obese subjects. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Some of the commonly used reference genes including 18S, ACTB, RPL27, HPRT, CYCA, GAPDH, RPLPO, POLR2A and B2M were quantified using real-time PCR analysis. The expression stability of these genes was evaluated using Genorm, Normfinder and Bestkeeper algorithms. In addition, the effect of sample size on the validation process was studied by randomly categorizing subjects in two cohorts of n = 2 and n = 33. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CYCA, GAPDH and RPL27 were identified as the most stable genes common to all three algorithms and both sample sizes. Their use as reference gene pairs might contribute to the enhanced robustness of relative quantification in the studies involving the human epicardial adipose tissue

Multi fragment melting analysis system (MFMAS) for one-step identification of lactobacilli

The accurate identification of lactobacilli is essential for the effective management of industrial practices associated with lactobacilli strains, such as the production of fermented foods or probiotic supplements. For this reason, in this study, we proposed the Multi Fragment Melting Analysis System (MFMAS)-lactobacilli based on high resolution melting (HRM) analysis of multiple DNA regions that have high interspecies heterogeneity for fast and reliable identification and characterization of lactobacilli. The MFMAS-lactobacilli is a new and customized version of the MFMAS, which was developed by our research group. MFMAS-lactobacilli is a combined system that consists of i) a ready-to-use plate, which is designed for multiple HRM analysis, and ii) a data analysis software, which is used to characterize lactobacilli species via incorporating machine learning techniques. Simultaneous HRM analysis of multiple DNA fragments yields a fingerprint for each tested strain and the identification is performed by comparing the fingerprints of unknown strains with those of known lactobacilli species registered in the MFMAS. In this study, a total of 254 isolates, which were recovered from fermented foods and probiotic supplements, were subjected to MFMAS analysis, and the results were confirmed by a combination of different molecular techniques. All of the analyzed isolates were exactly differentiated and accurately identified by applying the single-step procedure of MFMAS, and it was determined that all of the tested isolates belonged to 18 different lactobacilli species. The individual analysis of each target DNA region provided identification with an accuracy range from 59% to 90% for all tested isolates. However, when each target DNA region was analyzed simultaneously, perfect discrimination and 100% accurate identification were obtained even in closely related species. As a result, it was concluded that MFMAS-lactobacilli is a multi-purpose method that can be used to differentiate, classify, and identify lactobacilli species. Hence, our proposed system could be a potential alternative to overcome the inconsistencies and difficulties of the current methods

A thorough review and latest advances in shale reservoirs: Seismic to surveillance

SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference 2020, LACPEC 2020 -- 27 July 2020 through 31 July 2020 -- -- 1618742-s2.0-85090507645As major oil and gas companies have been investing in shale oil and gas resources, even though has been part of the oil and gas industry for long time, shale oil and gas has gained its popularity back with increasing oil prices. Oil and gas industry has adapted to the low-cost operations and has started investing in and utilizing the shale oil sources significantly. In this perspective, this study investigates and outlines the latest advances, technologies, potential of shale oil and gas reservoirs as a significant source of energy in the current supply and demand dynamics of oil and gas resources. A comprehensive literature review focusing on the recent developments and findings in the shale oil and gas resources along with the availability and locations are outlined and discussed under the current dynamics of the oil and gas market and resources. Literature review includes a broad spectrum that spans from technical petroleum literature with very comprehensive research using SCOPUS database to other renowned resources including journals and other publications. All gathered information and data are summarized.Not only the facts and information are outlined for the individual type of energy resource but also the relationship between shale oil/gas and other unconventional resources are discussed from a perspective of their roles either as a competing or a complementary source in the industry. In this sense, this study goes beyond only providing raw data or facts about the energy resources but also a thorough publication that provides the oil and gas industry professional with a clear image of the past, present and the expected near future of the shale oil/gas as it stands with respect to other energy resources. Among the few existing studies that shed light on the current status of the oil and gas industry facing the rise of the shale oil are up-to-date and the existing studies within SPE domain focus on facts only lacking the interrelationship between heavy and light oil as a complementary and a competitor but harder-to-recover form of hydrocarbon energy within the era of rise of renewables and other unconventionals. This study closes the gap and serves as an up-to-date reference for industry professionals. Copyright © 2020, Society of Petroleum Engineer