The City's role in providing for the public equity financing needs of UK SMEs

The City of London recognises the important contribution made by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to the UK economy and the critical role played by UK financial services in providing equity finance to facilitate their growth. As a result the City of London has commissioned research to assess the role and contribution made by UK financial services in terms of supporting the provision of and access to equity finance for UK SMEs. This commission is timely given the Government’s concerns over gaps in the SME funding escalator and the recent economic downturn, which has led to a withdrawal of venture capital funds and a loss of investor confidence

Tidal and marine energy in the uk– identifying the future challenges for supply chain development

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current technical and operational supply chain issues surrounding the development of tidal and marine energy production in the UK. The paper outlines the market and growth potential of tidal energy production in the UK before identifying the key supply chain themes surrounding tidal energy production including an analysis of the portability and transferability of current supply chain thinking and development from other renewable energy systems such as wind turbine technology towards the development of tidal energy supply chain systems. The paper closes by identifying the major challenges that the UK supply chain must overcome in order to develop a comprehensive and robust supply chain system

How Mortgage Rates Affect Personal Savings Rates in the U.S.

Currently in the United States, we are experiencing a significant increase in mortgage interest rates. While there are various factors that influence mortgage rates, high mortgage rates have an effect on the economy. Specifically, how mortgage rates affect one’s ability to save money. In this study, I asked how mortgage rates affect the personal savings, while accounting for the NASDAQ 100 and the participation of women in the labor force. The results of the regression suggest that when mortgage rates increase, savings rates will also increase

Epigenetic marks as the link between environment and development: examination of the associations between attachment, socioeconomic status, and methylation of the SLC6A4 gene.

BackgroundEpigenetic processes act as a link between environment and individual development. This pilot study examined the association between socioeconomic status (SES), attachment, and methylation of the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4).MethodsAttachment classification and SLC6A4 methylation was determined in 100 late adolescents. We hypothesized that (1) SES would interact with methylation to predict higher unresolved loss (UL) or trauma scores on the Adult Attachment Interview; (2) across SES, participants with unresolved attachment would have lower levels of methylation than organized or secure participants; and (3) within the unresolved classification, SES would predict methylation.ResultsResults showed that lower methylation and low-SES were associated with higher UL, and higher methylation and low-SES were associated with higher unresolved trauma. Across SES, unresolved participants had lower levels of methylation than organized participants. Within the unresolved category, low-SES unresolved participants had higher levels of methylation than mid/upper-SES participants. SES was unrelated to methylation within the secure and organized categories.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the quality of attachment relationships may impact epigenetic processes

Cross-correlation of the unresolved X-ray background with faint galaxies

At the faint end of the deepest X-ray surveys, a population of X-ray luminous galaxies is seen. In this paper, we present the results of a cross-correlation between the residual, unresolved X-ray photons in a very deep X-ray survey and the positions of faint galaxies, in order to examine the importance of these objects at even fainter flux levels. We measure a significant correlation on all angular scales up to ~1 arcmin. This signal could account for a significant fraction of the unresolved X-ray background, approximately 35 per cent if the clustering is similar to optically selected galaxies. However, the angular form of the correlation is seen to be qualitatively similar to that expected for clusters of galaxies and the X-ray emission could be associated with hot gas in clusters or with QSOs within galaxy clusters rather than emission from individual faint galaxies. The relative contribution from each of these possibilities cannot be determined with the current data.Comment: 7 pages LaTeX including 9 EPS figures. Uses mn.sty. Accepted for publication by MNRA

Contingent Claims Valuation of Corporate Liabilities: Theory and Empirical Tests

Although the Contingent Claims Analysis model has become the premier theory of how value is allocated among claimants on firms,its empirical validity remains an open question. In addition to being of academic interest, a test of the model would have significant practical implications. If it can be established that the model predicts actual market prices, then the model can be used to price new and untraded claims, to infer firm values from prices of traded claims like equity and to price covenants separately. In this paper evidence is presented on how well a model which makes the usual assumptions in the literature does in predicting market prices for claims in standard capital structures. The results suggest that the usual assumption list requires modification before it can serve as a basis for valuing corporate claims.

Autonomic nervous system functioning assessed during the Still-Face Paradigm: A meta-analysis and systematic review of methods, approach and findings.

Animal and human research suggests that the development of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is particularly sensitive to early parenting experiences. The Still-Face Paradigm (SFP), one of the most widely used measures to assess infant reactivity and emotional competence, evokes infant self-regulatory responses to parental interaction and disengagement. This systematic review of 33 peer-reviewed studies identifies patterns of parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic (SNS) nervous system activity demonstrated by infants under one year of age during the SFP and describes findings within the context of sample demographic characteristics, study methodologies, and analyses conducted. A meta-analysis of a subset of 14 studies with sufficient available respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) data examined whether the SFP reliably elicited PNS withdrawal (RSA decrease) during parental disengagement or PNS recovery (RSA increase) during reunion, and whether results differed by socioeconomic status (SES). Across SES, the meta-analysis confirmed that RSA decreased during the still-face episode and increased during reunion. When studies were stratified by SES, low-SES or high-risk groups also showed RSA decreases during the still face episode but failed to show an increase in RSA during reunion. Few studies have examined SNS activity during the SFP to date, preventing conclusions in that domain. The review also identified multiple qualifications to patterns of SFP ANS findings, including those that differed by ethnicity, infant sex, parental sensitivity, and genetics. Strengths and weaknesses in the extant research that may explain some of the variation in findings across the literature are also discussed, and suggestions for strengthening future research are provided

\u3cem\u3eInheritance Law and the Evolving Family.\u3c/em\u3e Ralph C. Brashier.

Book note for Ralph C. Brashier, Inheritance Law and the Evolving Family. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004. $69.50 hardcover,$24.95 papercover