A Contingent Claim Analysis of Risk-based Capital Standards for Banks

Many countries are implementing capital adequacy standards developed under the auspices of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), which explicitly link each bank’s minimum capital-to-asset ratio to the riskiness of its operations. In this paper, we use a contingent claim framework to examine the general questions of what goals a risk-based capital framework might be designed to achieve and how risk-based standards might be expected to influence bank behaviour. We identify two related but distinct regulatory policy goals, and derive a capital adequacy rule to achieve each goal: a liability-value (LV) rule designed to limit the contingent liability borne by the deposit guarantor per dollar of deposits; and a failure-probability (FP) rule designed to limit the probability of bank insolvency. We show that an LV rule is likely to push banks toward low-risk, low-capital combinations, whereas an FP rule is likely to encourage high risk and high capital ratios. The results suggest that restrictions on bank asset holdings and on overall financial leverage may be desirable in conjunction with risk-based capital standards. We then consider the extent to which the BIS standards reflect either an FP or an LV approach to capital regulation. The BIS standards assign risk weights to various types of assets, and establish a minimum ratio of capital to the sum of risk-weighted assets. We find that a BIS-type standard with appropriately chosen weights could be an extremely close approximation to a rule designed to achieve either goal, but that the actual weightings contained in the accord are most consistent with an FP rule. However, we show that the weight assigned to riskless assets should be negative if regulatory goals make an LV rule desirable; we also find that under either LV or FP rules the weight given to risky assets probably should be substantially higher than established in the BIS agreement. The optimal weights also depend on the typical range of risks in bank portfolios. Since this range may vary from one financial system to the next, it may be desirable to retain a degree of national discretion in setting the precise weightings.

Investing in Native Youth: Grantmaking Trends from the Native Youth and Culture Fund

In this report, First Nations highlights a snapshot of grant requests under our Native Youth and Culture Fund from 2010 through 2014

Temperature regulation of seed dormancy and germination in Arabidopsis thaliana

The environmental regulation of seed dormancy and germination by temperature is an important process which allows the environmental conditions experienced by plants in the following generation to be controlled. Coping with temperature effects during seed maturation is essential for the consistent production of high quality seeds, but currently temperature signalling pathways in seeds are poorly understood. Previous work has shown that temperature during seed maturation regulates the levels of dormancy which are induced in the seed, although a mechanism for this pathway is currently unknown. Low temperature during imbibition promotes germination and although this is known to involve alterations to GA metabolism, again a mechanism is missing. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify components of the mechanisms which regulate the temperature control of dormancy and germination in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Cool and warm seed maturation temperatures induce high and low levels of dormancy respectively in Arabidopsis. These changes to dormancy levels are coupled with altered ABA and GA levels and gene expression controlling hormone synthesis and breakdown. Changes in maturation temperature do not appear to be linked to altered seed coat morphology or embryo development. During testing of cold-response mutants for dormancy phenotypes the expression of CBFs, a group of transcription factors which were characterised through the study of cold acclimation, was found to be necessary for dormancy. CBF RNAi and mutant seeds display reduced dormancy when matured at low temperature. However, the expression of CBFs is not promoted by exposure to low temperature in seeds, suggesting that this is not an important mechanism for the temperature control of dormancy. More strikingly, the E3 ligase HOS1 is absolutely required for high dormancy levels in response to low maturation temperature. hos1 mutants show a complete loss of dormancy when matured at any temperature and this phenotype is maternally inherited. The germination of hos1 seeds in the presence of PAC or ABA does not differ from wild-type, thus suggesting that sensitivity to GA and ABA is not altered in these seeds. However, levels of GA are increased in hos1 mutant seeds, which could be important for the reduced dormancy phenotype. The expression of TT genes, which are responsible for the accumulation of anthocyanidins in the seed coat, is downregulated in hos1 mutants and so could be involved in the regulation of dormancy by HOS1. Therefore; HOS1 defines a novel essential maternal pathway that regulates dormancy levels which involves the regulation of GA metabolism. A forward genetic screen identified a number of cold stratification insensitive (cosi) mutants. A thorough characterisation of these mutants revealed interesting phenotypes, but phenotypic variation and a lack of robust segregation data meant that the cosi mutants were not mapped

CHARACTERIZATION OF MATRIMONY'S ROLE AS A POLO KINASE REGULATOR DURING DROSOPHILA FEMALE MEIOSIS

Regulatory interactions that occur between Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) and its protein partners are critical for promoting many different cell division events. Indeed, Plk1 is found mis-regulated in a diverse set of human cancers and has been clinically validated as a drug target in cancer. Here, we use Drosophila as a model to understand how a 217 amino acid protein called Matrimony (Mtrm) regulates the Drosophila homolog of Plk1, Polo kinase, during female meiosis. By analyzing the functionality of a variety of Mtrm mutants, we find that Mtrm and Polo appear to engage in a non-canonical mechanism of interaction in vivo relative to previously described Polo protein interactors. Furthermore, we have identified a Mtrm mutant that separates function during meiosis, suggesting that Mtrm may differentially interact with Polo kinase by at least two different pathways or mechanisms. Thus, in addition to furthering our understanding of the role of Mtrm as a regulator of Polo in Drosophila female meiosis, these studies address a larger, more fundamental question of how Polo interacts with its protein partners in vivo. Elucidating such non-canonical mechanisms of Polo regulation in vivo may contribute to the development of novel and innovative strategies for selective Plk1 inhibition in cancer

Stereotype Threat and OC Symptomatology: The Impact of Messy vs. Clean Environments on Cognitive Test Performance

Stereotype threat has been researched in a variety of contexts such as African Americans’ intellect, older adults’ memory, and women’s performance in math. Despite this extensive research, little has been done in the domain of mental illness. This study examines whether stereotype threat can be induced in people high in obsessive compulsive (OC) symptoms. We hypothesized that, when given explicit information about their OC tendencies, individuals high in OC symptoms would perform less well on cognitive tests in a messy than a clean environment compared to those low in OC symptoms. Group testing sessions included a mix of college students high (n=25) and low (n=22) in OC symptomatology. The classroom and testing packets were either messy or clean. At the beginning of the session, participants were given confidential, accurate information about their OC tendencies before completing tests of concentration and immediate and delayed memory. Across the four tests, the High and Low OC groups performed similarly in a non-threat inducing clean environment. However, in a threat-inducing messy environment the High OC group showed a strong tendency to perform less well than the Low OC group on a test of auditory attention. Thus, our results suggest that individuals with OCD or related symptoms may be susceptible to stereotype threat, much like other vulnerable populations

Global Health Uganda 2018: Where are we now?

Introduction: OSU-COM students and physicians have been traveling to Sister Rosemary's in Gulu, Uganda to both learn about and assist in Ugandan healthcare since 2015. There have been many positive changes on Sister Rosemary's compound with the addition of a birthing center and expansion of the health care clinic throughout the years. These additions have improved access to health care in Gulu and surrounding towns. We set out to analyze the current prevalence of disease and demographics in Gulu and Atiak in order to better understand and help the Ugandan people. Our research allows for tailoring of future health care education programs and distribution of research on future trips.Research Question: What is the current disease prevalence, demographics, and risk factors for most commonly seen infectious diseases?Study Design: Chart ReviewMethods: Data collection occurred through a standardized SOAP note created prior to departure to insure accurate data collection. All statistical analysis was done using excel.Results: Our team saw roughly 450 patients and our data demonstrates that among the most prevalent disorders treated were gastroesophageal reflux disease, musculoskeletal pain, parasitosis, and upper respiratory infections.Conclusion: This information allows us to be better prepared on future trips with proper medications and resources to best aid the Ugandan people. Future research topics to investigate would be to analyze the progression of disease throughout the years at Sister Rosemary's and other locations affiliated with the global health program

Dual fear phenomenon in an eco-epidemiological model with prey aggregation

This study presents a thorough analysis of an eco-epidemiological model that integrates infectious diseases in prey, prey aggregation, and the dual fear effect induced by predators. We establish criteria for determining the existence of equilibrium points, which carry substantial biological significance. We establish the conditions for the occurrence of Hopf, saddle-node, and transcritical bifurcations by employing fear parameters as key bifurcation parameters. Furthermore, through numerical simulations, we demonstrate the occurrence of multiple zero-Hopf (ZH) and saddle-node transcritical (SNTC) bifurcations around the endemic steady states by varying specific key parameters across the two-parametric plane. We demonstrate that the introduction of predator-induced fear, which hinders the growth rate of susceptible prey, can lead to the finite time extinction of an initially stable susceptible prey population. Finally, we discuss management strategies aimed at regulating disease transmission, focusing on fear-based interventions and selective predation via predator attack rate on infectious prey

Representational Practices at the International Criminal Court: The Gap between Juridified and Abstract Victimhood

In the context of a special issue on ‘practices’ at the International Criminal Court, this article focuses on the practice of representation, and in particular on the practice of representing victims. As political and social theorists such as Pitkin and Bourdieu have argued with respect to politics, representation does not merely reflect reality, it is constitutive of it. In the ICC, two practices of victim representation have been prevalent. The first is the rather novel and widely welcomed practice of representing victims as participants in ICC proceedings. The second is the older practice of the discursive invocation of victims as the telos of international criminal law. But these two practices lead in different directions. Victim participation in court proceedings has led to the juridification of victimhood — the legal categorisation of victims — and as a result of this juridification, very few individuals are actually personally represented in the Court’s proceedings. The discursive invocation of victims as the telos of the Court’s work has created a deity-like and seemingly sovereign entity — ‘The Victims’ — that transcends all actual victims and corresponds to no individual victim in their particularity. The result of the two practices is an increasing gap between the limited role that victims play in international criminal proceedings due to the juridification of victimhood and the continued presentation of ‘The Victims’ as the raison d’être of international criminal law. The overdetermined presence of the figure of ‘The Victims’ as a rhetorical construct obscures the representative challenges faced by conflict-affected individuals in accessing the form of justice that is practiced in their (abstract) name.COST travel gran

Mutation of the cytosolic ribosomal protein-encoding RPS10B gene affects shoot meristematic function in Arabidopsis.

BACKGROUND: Plant cytosolic ribosomal proteins are encoded by small gene families. Mutants affecting these genes are often viable, but show growth and developmental defects, suggesting incomplete functional redundancy within the families. Dormancy to growth transitions, such as the activation of axillary buds in the shoot, are characterised by co-ordinated upregulation of ribosomal protein genes. RESULTS: A recessive mutation in RPS10B, one of three Arabidopsis genes encoding the eukaryote-specific cytoplasmic ribosomal protein S10e, was found to suppress the excessive shoot branching mutant max2-1. rps10b-1 mildly affects the formation and separation of shoot lateral organs, including the shoot axillary meristems. Axillary meristem defects are enhanced when rps10b-1 is combined with mutations in REVOLUTA, AUXIN-RESISTANT1, PINOID or another suppressor of max2-1, FAR-RED ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL3. In some of these double mutants, the maintenance of the primary shoot meristem is also affected. In contrast, mutation of ALTERED MERISTEM PROGRAMME1 suppresses the rps10b-1axillary shoot defect. Defects in both axillary shoot formation and organ separation were enhanced by combining rps10b-1 with cuc3, a mutation affecting one of three Arabidopsis NAC transcription factor genes with partially redundant roles in these processes. To assess the effect of rps10b-1 on bud activation independently from bud formation, axillary bud outgrowth on excised cauline nodes was analysed. The outgrowth rate of untreated buds was reduced only slightly by rps10b-1 in both wild-type and max2-1 backgrounds. However, rps10b-1 strongly suppressed the auxin resistant outgrowth of max2-1 buds. A developmental phenotype of rps10b-1, reduced stamen number, was complemented by the cDNA of another family member, RPS10C, under the RPS10B promoter. CONCLUSIONS: RPS10B promotes shoot branching mainly by promoting axillary shoot development. It contributes to organ boundary formation and leaf polarity, and sustains max2-1 bud outgrowth in the presence of auxin. These processes require the auxin response machinery and precise spatial distribution of auxin. The correct dosage of protein(s) involved in auxin-mediated patterning may be RPS10B-dependent. Inability of other RPS10 gene family members to maintain fully S10e levels might cause the rps10b-1 phenotype, as we found no evidence for unique functional specialisation of either RPS10B promoter or RPS10B protein.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are

Motives for Physical Activity and Physiological Variables as Predictors of Exercise Intentions Following a High Intensity Interval Training Protocol in College-Age Females

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(2): 121-135, 2016. More females are classified as insufficiently active and may have little time for physical activity than males (28). Sufficient activity for adults includes a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, five days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise three days per week, or a combination of these, in addition to the resistance training recommendation of training each muscle group two times per week (14). High intensity interval training (defined as very short intense intervals, usually above 85% maximum heart rate accompanied by alternated passive recovery periods; HIIT) has become a popular alternative to the more traditional continuous training utilized by individuals due to its time efficiency. In fact, HIIT has been shown to induce many of the same physiological changes as moderate intensity training with less training time. It is possible that college-aged females may benefit from HIIT and its inherent time-saving qualities. To test this hypothesis, this study sought to determine the influence of a HIIT protocol on general motives for being physically active and intentions for future HIIT participation. Participants included sixty-five female students between the ages 18 and 25 who were enrolled in a physical activity class that included HIIT as a part of the curriculum. Physiological responses to the HIIT protocol were measured via exercise intensity and calories burned, while motives and intentions were measured through questionnaires. Results revealed no changes in any variables over the course of the study with the exception of blood pressure. Fitness was the only variable that significantly predicted intentions for exercise and thus future HIIT participation. These psychologically oriented results show some promise for the use of HIIT in this population. In order to promote long-term adherence to exercise programs, the nature of the relationship between motives and intentions call for future studies to determine why more intrinsic motives, including competence, were not related to intentions to HIIT