Credit and collateral

Collateral - generally defined as an asset used to provide security for a lender's loan - is an important feature of credit contracts and all the available evidence suggests that its use is getting more pervasive. This informative book builds upon recent research into this topic. Sena analyses three case-studies that revolve around the impact that financial constraints have on economic outcomes. In the first case-study, the relationship between firms' technical efficiency and increasing financial pressure is explored. The author then goes on to show, in the second case study, that under specific circumstances, increasing financial pressure and increasing product market competition can jointly have a positive impact on firms' technical efficiency, while not being true for all types of firms. In the third case, she analyses the impact that finance constraints have on women's start-ups. Unique and revealing, this is the first book to deal so extensively with the topic of collateral, and as such, is a valuable reference to postgraduates and professionals in the fields of macroeconomics, monetary and business economics. © 2008 Vania Sena. All rights reserved.

Syndromes of collateral-reported psychopathology for ages 18-59 in 18 societies

The purpose was to advance research and clinical methodology for assessing psychopathology by testing the international generalizability of an 8-syndrome model derived from collateral ratings of adult behavioral, emotional, social, and thought problems. Collateral informants rated 8,582 18-59-year-old residents of 18 societies on the Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL). Confirmatory factor analyses tested the fit of the 8-syndrome model to ratings from each society. The primary model fit index (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) showed good model fit for all societies, while secondary indices (Tucker Lewis Index, Comparative Fit Index) showed acceptable to good fit for 17 societies. Factor loadings were robust across societies and items. Of the 5,007 estimated parameters, 4 (0.08%) were outside the admissible parameter space, but 95% confidence intervals included the admissible space, indicating that the 4 deviant parameters could be due to sampling fluctuations. The findings are consistent with previous evidence for the generalizability of the 8-syndrome model in self-ratings from 29 societies, and support the 8-syndrome model for operationalizing phenotypes of adult psychopathology from multi-informant ratings in diverse societies. © 2014 Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual.

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography can detect visible and subthreshold laser burns using 532-nm laser

Retinal burns of subthreshold intensity created using micropulsed diode laser, which remain clinically invisible, have been shown to be successful in treating macular edema while minimizing the risk of collateral damage to the retina. A study was conducted to determine whether spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) could be used to detect subthreshold retinal burns created using the 532-nm green wavelength laser. A series of retinal burns of gradually decreasing intensity were created in 10 eyes. Retinal burns produced with duration of laser exposure of 0.03 second or less, although clinically invisible, were detectable on the SD-OCT scan as increased retinal reflectivity confined to the outer retinal layers. This series demonstrates the potential of using SD-OCT imaging to verify delivery of subthreshold laser burns.

Ascorbate and α-tocopherol differentially modulate reactive oxygen species generation by neutrophils in response to FcγR and TLR agonists

Periodontitis, a ubiquitous chronic inflammatory disease, is associated with reduced antioxidant defences and neutrophil hyperactivity in terms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Its phenotype is thus characterized by oxidative stress. We have determined the effect of antioxidant micronutrients ascorbate and α-tocopherol on neutrophil ROS generation. Peripheral neutrophils from periodontally-healthy individuals (n = 20) were challenged with phorbol myristate acetate, IgG-opsonised Staphylococcus aureus, Fusobacterium nucleatum or PBS in the presence and absence of micronutrients (50 μM). Total and extracellular ROS were measured by luminol and isoluminol chemiluminescence respectively. Total and extracellular unstimulated, baseline ROS generation was unaffected by α-tocopherol, but inhibited by ascorbate and a combination of both micronutrients. Fcγ-receptor (Fcγ-R)-stimulated total or extracellular ROS generation was not affected by the presence of individual micronutrients. However, the combination significantly reduced extracellular FcγR-stimulated ROS release. Neither micronutrient inhibited TLR-stimulated total ROS, but the combination caused inhibition. Ascorbate and the micronutrient combination, but not α-tocopherol, inhibited extracellular ROS release by TLR-stimulated cells. Such micronutrient effects in vivo could be beneficial in reducing collateral tissue damage in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as periodontitis, while retaining immune-mediated neutrophil function. © The Author(s) 2012 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Syndromes of self-reported psychopathology for ages 18-59 in 29 societies

This study tested the multi-society generalizability of an eight-syndrome assessment model derived from factor analyses of American adults' self-ratings of 120 behavioral, emotional, and social problems. The Adult Self-Report (ASR; Achenbach and Rescorla 2003) was completed by 17,152 18-59-year-olds in 29 societies. Confirmatory factor analyses tested the fit of self-ratings in each sample to the eight-syndrome model. The primary model fit index (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) showed good model fit for all samples, while secondary indices showed acceptable to good fit. Only 5 (0.06%) of the 8,598 estimated parameters were outside the admissible parameter space. Confidence intervals indicated that sampling fluctuations could account for the deviant parameters. Results thus supported the tested model in societies differing widely in social, political, and economic systems, languages, ethnicities, religions, and geographical regions. Although other items, societies, and analytic methods might yield different results, the findings indicate that adults in very diverse societies were willing and able to rate themselves on the same standardized set of 120 problem items. Moreover, their self-ratings fit an eight-syndrome model previously derived from self-ratings by American adults. The support for the statistically derived syndrome model is consistent with previous findings for parent, teacher, and self-ratings of 11/2-18-year-olds in many societies. The ASR and its parallel collateral-report instrument, the Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL), may offer mental health professionals practical tools for the multi-informant assessment of clinical constructs of adult psychopathology that appear to be meaningful across diverse societies. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Cystathionine γ-lyase regulates arteriogenesis through NO-dependent monocyte recruitment

AIMS: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a vasoactive gasotransmitter that is endogenously produced in the vasculature by the enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE). However, the importance of CSE activity and local H2S generation for ischaemic vascular remodelling remains completely unknown. In this study, we examine the hypothesis that CSE critically regulates ischaemic vascular remodelling involving H2S-dependent mononuclear cell regulation of arteriogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Arteriogenesis including mature vessel density, collateral formation, blood flow, and SPY angiographic blush rate were determined in wild-type (WT) and CSE knockout (KO) mice at different time points following femoral artery ligation (FAL). The role of endogenous H2S in regulation of IL-16 expression and subsequent recruitment of monocytes, and expression of VEGF and bFGF in ischaemic tissues, were determined along with endothelial progenitor cell (CD34/Flk1) formation and function. FAL of WT mice significantly increased CSE activity, expression and endogenous H2S generation in ischaemic tissues, and monocyte infiltration, which was absent in CSE-deficient mice. Treatment of CSE KO mice with the polysulfide donor diallyl trisulfide restored ischaemic vascular remodelling, monocyte infiltration, and cytokine expression. Importantly, exogenous H2S therapy restored nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability in CSE KO mice that was responsible for monocyte recruitment and arteriogenesis. CONCLUSION: Endogenous CSE/H2S regulates ischaemic vascular remodelling mediated during hind limb ischaemia through NO-dependent monocyte recruitment and cytokine induction revealing a previously unknown mechanism of arteriogenesis.