Dynamic network model of banking system stability

This paper presents a dynamic model of banking interactions, which uses interbank connections to study the stability of the banking system. The dynamic model extends previous work on network models of the banking system taking inspiration from large scale, complex, interconnected systems studied within the domain of engineering. The banking system is represented as a network where nodes are individual banks and the links between any two banks consist of interbank loans and borrowing. The dynamic structure of the model is represented as a set of differential equations, which, to the best of our knowledge, is an original characteristic of our approach. This dynamic structure not only allows us to analyse systemic risk but also to incorporate an analysis of control mechanisms. Uncertainty is introduced in the system by applying stochastic shocks to the bank deposits, which are assigned as an exogenous signal. The behaviour of the system can be analysed for different initial conditions and parameter sets. This paper shows some preliminary results under different combinations of bank reserve ratios, bank capital sizes and different degrees of bank inter-connectedness. The results show that both reserve ratio and link rate have a positive effect on the stability of the system in the presence of moderate shocks. However, for high values of the shocks, high reserve ratios may have a detrimental effect on the survival of banks. In future work, we will apply strategies from the domain of control engineering to the dynamic model to characterise more formally the stability of the banking network

A United States Market Entry Analysis for a New Medical Device

This report provides an analysis of the market opportunities for a medical device developed by io, a New Zealand based company. The device simulates a high altitude, low oxygen environment to encourage the body to develop more red blood cells. Potential medical benefits derived from anecdotal sources have encouraged the company to begin clinical trials to determine efficacy as a medical device. Before committing to a beachhead market, io is interested in understanding the business opportunities in seven different treatment areas. A balanced scorecard was used to weight the different opportunities, aligning them with io’s requirements. The results of the market analysis show that chemotherapy induced anemia would be a promising first market followed by the second tier opportunities of insomnia, asthma, obesity and sleep apnea. The lowest scoring treatment areas analyzed were headache and hypertension. This analysis is contingent on io’s efficacy data being equal for all treatment areas

Implementation and Effects of LDC and MDC in Kentucky Districts

This brief summarizes early evidence on the success of two tools Kentucky districts have used to support their teachers' transition to these more demanding goals: Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and Math Design Collaborative (MDC). With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, LDC and MDC tools have been designed and implemented to embody the key shifts in teaching and learning that the new standards demand. By implementing the tools, teachers then engage in new pedagogy and address relevant learning goals of the Kentucky Core Academic Standards

Physical assault in the previous year and total and cause-specific mortality in Russia: a case-control study of men aged 25-54 years.

Background: Violence has important health effects. The results of exposure to physical violence include, but may not be limited to, death from suicide and homicide. The connection between the experience of assault and risk of death from causes other than homicide and suicide has rarely been examined. Methods: We analysed data from the first Izhevsk Family Study (IFS-1), a population-based case-control study of premature mortality in Russian men. Structural equation models were used to obtain odds ratios (ORs) for the association between the proxy report of physical attack in the previous year and mortality. Results: The estimate of the all-cause mortality OR for assault, after adjusting for alcohol use and socio-demographic confounders, was 1.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.71, 3.31). Strong cause-specific associations were found for external causes, but associations were also found for deaths from cardiovascular and alcohol-related deaths. Conclusions: We found that, in our population of working-aged Russian men, there was a strong association between physical assault and mortality from a wide range of causes. Other than direct effects of physical assault on mortality, residual confounding is an important possibility. The association between assault and mortality, particularly from cardiovascular and alcohol-related causes requires replication and further investigation

Influence of statin use on clinicopathological characteristics of localized prostate cancer and outcomes obtained after radical prostatectomy: a single center study

To assess the impact of statin use on biochemical recurrence (BCR) of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy (RP)

EXC 002 Leon Rhoden 4-22-2022

Acc #: 756; EXC 002 In this recording, Leon Rhoden is interviewed by Ryan Morini, Sara McGough, and Willie Dinish in the McCall Library at the University of South Alabama about his experiences in the Excelsior Band. The interview begins with Mr. Rhoden talking about growing up in the Crichton neighborhood of Mobile, and the beginnings of his interest in music—more specifically, percussion. He discusses his first experiences with the Excelsior Band when he was a child, and how they inspired him. He explains what the band looks for when finding new members, and the importance for a musician to be able to listen and hold a tune. The interview concludes with Mr. Rhoden discussing some of the recent events the band had played at the time

Self-reported symptoms of chronic cough and breathlessness in working-age men in the city of Izhevsk, Russia: associations with cardiovascular disease risk factors and comorbidities.

INTRODUCTION: Very little is known about the prevalence of respiratory symptoms or their associations with other health conditions in Russia. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2010, a sample of 983 men resident in Izhevsk, Russia, took part in a cross-sectional survey. Presence of respiratory symptoms was determined from self-report of chronic productive cough and breathlessness assessed using the British Medical Research Council (MRC) breathlessness scale. Self-reported physical and mental health were measured using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Hypertension was assessed from mean blood pressure measured at the health check and/or self-reported use of antihypertensive medication. Other comorbidities were assessed from self-report. Logistic regression models were fitted assessing the association between respiratory symptoms and comorbidities. Linear regression models were fitted to investigate the association between respiratory symptoms and self-reported health scores. All models were adjusted for age, education and smoking status. RESULTS: The age-standardised prevalence of cough and breathlessness was 20.9% (prevalence with breathlessness MRC grade 3 or above 3.7%). The majority of men with respiratory symptoms (87.3%) were current smokers. Cough and breathlessness were associated with substantially worse self-reported physical and mental health (test for trend with severity of breathlessness p<0.001). Those with chronic cough and grade 3 or above breathlessness had higher odds of having hypertension (OR 3.03; 95% CI 1.36 to 6.74), diabetes (OR 10.55; 95% CI 2.69 to 41.37), angina pectoris (OR 7.54; 95% CI 3.61 to 15.73), previous myocardial infarction (OR 7.61; 95% CI 2.10 to 27.4) and previous stroke (OR 6.61; 95% CI 1.75 to 23.34) compared with those without respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was high. Strong associations were found between respiratory symptoms and cardiovascular comorbidities. These are of particular importance given the extremely high level of cardiovascular disease mortality in Russia