The promoter of filamentation (POF1) protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an ATPase involved in the protein quality control process

Background: The gene YCL047C, which has been renamed promoter of filamentation gene (POF1), has recently been described as a cell component involved in yeast filamentous growth. The objective of this work is to understand the molecular and biological function of this gene. Results: Here, we report that the protein encoded by the POF1 gene, Pof1p, is an ATPase that may be part of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein quality control pathway. According to the results, Δpof1 cells showed increased sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, heat shock and protein unfolding agents, such as dithiothreitol and tunicamycin. Besides, the overexpression of POF1 suppressed the sensitivity of Δpct1, a strain that lacks a gene that encodes a phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, to heat shock. In vitro analysis showed, however, that the purified Pof1p enzyme had no cytidylyltransferase activity but does have ATPase activity, with catalytic efficiency comparable to other ATPases involved in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of proteins (ERAD). Supporting these findings, co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed a physical interaction between Pof1p and Ubc7p (an ubiquitin conjugating enzyme) in vivo. Conclusions: Taken together, the results strongly suggest that the biological function of Pof1p is related to the regulation of protein degradation.

A control and automation system for wave basins

This paper presents the new active absorption wave basin, named Hydrodynamic Calibrator (HC), constructed at the University of São Paulo (USP), in the Laboratory facilities of the Numerical Offshore Tank (TPN). The square (14 m 14 m) tank is able to generate and absorb waves from 0.5 Hz to 2.0 Hz, by means of 148 active hinged flap wave makers. An independent mechanical system drives each flap by means of a 1HP servo-motor and a ball-screw based transmission system. A customized ultrasonic wave probe is installed in each flap, and is responsible for measuring wave elevation in the flap. A complex automation architecture was implemented, with three Programmable Logic Computers (PLCs), and a low-level software is responsible for all the interlocks and maintenance functions of the tank. Furthermore, all the control algorithms for the generation and absorption are implemented using higher level software (MATLAB /Simulink block diagrams). These algorithms calculate the motions of the wave makers both to generate and absorb the required wave field by taking into account the layout of the flaps and the limits of wave generation. The experimental transfer function that relates the flap amplitude to the wave elevation amplitude is used for the calculation of the motion of each flap. This paper describes the main features of the tank, followed by a detailed presentation of the whole automation system. It includes the measuring devices, signal conditioning, PLC and network architecture, real-time and synchronizing software and motor control loop. Finally, a validation of the whole automation system is presented, by means of the experimental analysis of the transfer function of the waves generated and the calculation of all the delays introduced by the automation system.

Numerical analysis of control surface effects on AUV

Computational fluid dynamics, CFD, is becoming an essential tool in the prediction of the hydrodynamic efforts and flow characteristics of underwater vehicles for manoeuvring studies. However, when applied to the manoeuvrability of autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs, most studies have focused on the de- termination of static coefficients without considering the effects of the vehicle control surface deflection. This paper analyses the hydrodynamic efforts generated on an AUV considering the combined effects of the control surface deflection and the angle of attack using CFD software based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes formulations. The CFD simulations are also independently conducted for the AUV bare hull and control surface to better identify their individual and interference efforts and to validate the simulations by comparing the experimental results obtained in a towing tank. Several simulations of the bare hull case were conducted to select the k –ω SST turbulent model with the viscosity approach that best predicts its hydrodynamic efforts. Mesh sensitivity analyses were conducted for all simulations. For the flow around the control surfaces, the CFD results were analysed according to two different methodologies, standard and nonlinear. The nonlinear regression methodology provides better results than the standard methodology does for predicting the stall at the control surface. The flow simulations have shown that the occurrence of the control surface stall depends on a linear relationship between the angle of attack and the control surface deflection. This type of information can be used in designing the vehicle’s autopilot system.

Mortgage securitization and its credit risk control

This dissertation concentrate on the mortgage securitization and its credit risk, which are criticized as the main causes of the financial crisis. From the point of the veiw of mortgage's evolution, the nature, structure and function of mortgage has been radically changed, yet the mortgage law did not give appropriate response to this market change. Meanwhile, the U.S legilslations facilitating the mortgage securitization also have rotten the legal foundations for mortgage market self-regulation and sustained development. In contrast, the EU covered bond system has kept financial stability for 200 years' time, and their statutory approach has been proved to be able to control the credit risk and incentive problems very well, in combination of market self-regulation and public regulation. So the future reform should be directed to strengthen the market's capacity of self-regulation and improve the public regulation. For the development of mortgage securitization in China, it is suggested to introduce the EU covered bond system for the reason of the equilibrium between funding efficiency and financial stability.

Credit-Default-Swaps and the 2008 Financial Crisis: An Inquiry into the Underlying Legal Origins and the European Union’s Regulatory Reforms

After the 2008 financial crisis, the financial innovation product Credit-Default-Swap (CDS) was widely blamed as the main cause of this crisis. CDS is one type of over-the-counter (OTC) traded derivatives. Before the crisis, the trading of CDS was very popular among the financial institutions. But meanwhile, excessive speculative CDSs transactions in a legal environment of scant regulation accumulated huge risks in the financial system. This dissertation is divided into three parts. In Part I, we discussed the primers of the CDSs and its market development, then we analyzed in detail the roles CDSs had played in this crisis based on economic studies. It is advanced that CDSs not just promoted the eruption of the crisis in 2007 but also exacerbated it in 2008. In part II, we asked ourselves what are the legal origins of this crisis in relation with CDSs, as we believe that financial instruments could only function, positive or negative, under certain legal institutional environment. After an in-depth inquiry, we observed that at least three traditional legal doctrines were eroded or circumvented by OTC derivatives. It is argued that the malfunction of these doctrines, on the one hand, facilitated the proliferation of speculative CDSs transactions; on the other hand, eroded the original risk-control legal mechanism. Therefore, the 2008 crisis could escalate rapidly into a global financial tsunami, which was out of control of the regulators. In Part III, we focused on the European Union’s regulatory reform towards the OTC derivatives market. In specific, EU introduced mandatory central counterparty clearing obligation for qualified OTC derivatives, and requires that all OTC derivatives shall be reported to a trade repository. It is observable that EU’s approach in re-regulating the derivatives market is different with the traditional administrative regulation, but aiming at constructing a new market infrastructure for OTC derivatives.

The Dual Ownership Structure: a Model to Connect the Cooperative Model With Financial Markets

In business literature, the conflicts among workers, shareholders and the management have been studied mostly in the frame of stakeholder theory. The stakeholder theory recognizes this issue as an agency problem, and tries to solve the problem by establishing a contractual relationship between the agent and principals. However, as Marcoux pointed out, the appropriateness of the contract as a medium to reduce the agency problem should be questioned. As an alternative, the cooperative model minimizes the agency costs by integrating the concept of workers, owners and management. Mondragon Corporation is a successful example of the cooperative model which grew into the sixth largest corporation in Spain. However, the cooperative model has long been ignored in discussions of corporate governance, mainly because the success of the cooperative model is extremely difficult to duplicate in reality. This thesis hopes to revitalize the scholarly examination of cooperatives by developing a new model that overcomes the fundamental problem in the cooperative model: the limited access to capital markets. By dividing the ownership interest into financial and control interest, the dual ownership structure allows cooperatives to issue stock in the capital market by making a financial product out of financial interest.

Critical Control Points for Profitability in the Cow-Calf Enterprise

Financial, economic, and biological data collected from cow-calf producers who participated in the Illinois and Iowa Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) programs were used in this study. Data used were collected for the 1996 through 1999 calendar years, with each herd within year representing one observation. This resulted in a final database of 225 observations (117 from Iowa and 108 from Illinois) from commercial herds with a range in size from 20 to 373 cows. Two analyses were conducted, one utilizing financial cost of production data, the other economic cost of production data. Each observation was analyzed as the difference from the mean for that given year. The independent variable utilized in both the financial and economic models as an indicator of profit was return to unpaid labor and management per cow (RLM). Used as dependent variables were the five factors that make up total annual cow cost: feed cost, operating cost, depreciation cost, capital charge, and hired labor, all on an annual cost per cow basis. In the economic analysis, family labor was also included. Production factors evaluated as dependent variables in both models were calf weight, calf price, cull weight, cull price, weaning percentage, and calving distribution. Herd size and investment were also analyzed. All financial factors analyzed were significantly correlated to RLM (P < .10) except cull weight, and cull price. All economic factors analyzed were significantly correlated to RLM (P < .10) except calf weight, cull weight and cull price. Results of the financial prediction equation indicate that there are eight measurements capable of explaining over 82 percent of the farm-to-farm variation in RLM. Feed cost is the overriding factor driving RLM in both the financial and economic stepwise regression analyses. In both analyses over 50 percent of the herd-to-herd variation in RLM could be explained by feed cost. Financial feed cost is correlated (P < .001) to operating cost, depreciation cost, and investment. Economic feed cost is correlated (P < .001) with investment and operating cost, as well as capital charge. Operating cost, depreciation, and capital charge were all negatively correlated (P < .10) to herd size, and positively correlated (P < .01) to feed cost in both analyses. Operating costs were positively correlated with capital charge and investment (P < .01) in both analyses. In the financial regression model, depreciation cost was the second critical factor explaining almost 9 percent of the herd-to-herd variation in RLM followed by operating cost (5 percent). Calf weight had a greater impact than calf price on RLM in both the financial and economic regression models. Calf weight was the fourth indicator of RLM in the financial model and was similar in magnitude to operating cost. Investment was not a significant variable in either regression model; however, it was highly correlated to a number of the significant cost variables including feed cost, depreciation cost, and operating cost (P < .001, financial; P < .10, economic). Cost factors were far more influential in driving RLM than production, reproduction, or producer controlled marketing factors. Of these cost factors, feed cost had by far the largest impact. As producers focus attention on factors that affect the profitability of the operation, feed cost is the most critical control point because it was responsible for over 50 percent of the herd-to-herd variation in profit.

Clinically relevant quality measures for risk factor control in primary care: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Assessment of the proportion of patients with well controlled cardiovascular risk factors underestimates the proportion of patients receiving high quality of care. Evaluating whether physicians respond appropriately to poor risk factor control gives a different picture of quality of care. We assessed physician response to control cardiovascular risk factors, as well as markers of potential overtreatment in Switzerland, a country with universal healthcare coverage but without systematic quality monitoring, annual report cards on quality of care or financial incentives to improve quality. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study of 1002 randomly selected patients aged 50-80 years from four university primary care settings in Switzerland. For hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus, we first measured proportions in control, then assessed therapy modifications among those in poor control. "Appropriate clinical action" was defined as a therapy modification or return to control without therapy modification within 12 months among patients with baseline poor control. Potential overtreatment of these conditions was defined as intensive treatment among low-risk patients with optimal target values. RESULTS 20% of patients with hypertension, 41% with dyslipidemia and 36% with diabetes mellitus were in control at baseline. When appropriate clinical action in response to poor control was integrated into measuring quality of care, 52 to 55% had appropriate quality of care. Over 12 months, therapy of 61% of patients with baseline poor control was modified for hypertension, 33% for dyslipidemia, and 85% for diabetes mellitus. Increases in number of drug classes (28-51%) and in drug doses (10-61%) were the most common therapy modifications. Patients with target organ damage and higher baseline values were more likely to have appropriate clinical action. We found low rates of potential overtreatment with 2% for hypertension, 3% for diabetes mellitus and 3-6% for dyslipidemia. CONCLUSIONS In primary care, evaluating whether physicians respond appropriately to poor risk factor control, in addition to assessing proportions in control, provide a broader view of the quality of care than relying solely on measures of proportions in control. Such measures could be more clinically relevant and acceptable to physicians than simply reporting levels of control.

The impact of 1995--1996 health sector reforms in the effectiveness of malaria control program in the state of Orissa, India

Malaria poses a significant public health problem worldwide. The World Health Organization indicates that approximately 40% of the world's population and almost 85% of the population from the South–East Asian region is at risk of contracting malaria. India being the most populous country in the region, contributes the highest number of malaria cases and deaths attributed to malaria. Orissa is the state that has the highest number of malaria cases and deaths attributable to malaria. A secondary data analysis was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the World bank-assisted Malaria Action Program in the state of Orissa under the health sector reforms of 1995-96. The secondary analysis utilized the government of India's National Anti Malaria Management Information System's (NAMMIS) surveillance data and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS–I and NFHS–II) datasets to compare the malaria mortality and morbidity in the state between 1992-93 and 1998-99. Results revealed no effect of the intervention and indicated an increase of 2.18 times in malaria mortality between 1992-1999 and an increase of 1.53 times in malaria morbidity between 1992-93 and 1998-99 in the state. The difference in the age-adjusted malaria morbidity in the state between the time periods of 1992-93 and 1998-99 proved to be highly significant (t = 4.29 df=16, p<. 0005) whereas the difference between the increase of age-adjusted malaria morbidity during 1992-93 and 1998-99 between Orissa (with intervention) and Bihar (no intervention) proved to be non significant (t=.0471 df=16, p<.50). Factors such as underutilization of World Bank funds for the malaria control program, inadequate health care infrastructure, structural adjustment problems, poor management, poor financial management, parasite resistance to anti-malarial drugs, inadequate supply of drugs and staff shortages may have contributed to the failure of the program in the state.^

Comparison of financial trends in small rural and urban hospitals in Texas, 1983--1985

The purpose of this study was to compare the financial performance of small rural hospitals to that of small urban hospitals in Texas. Hospital-specific and environmental factors were studied as control variables.^ Small rural hospitals were found to be financially stronger on measures of liquidity but weaker on measures of profitability. Small urban hospitals performed better on measures of profitability and long-range solvency. When all measures in the five dimensions of financial performance were analyzed, no significant difference was found between the two groups of hospitals. None of the control variables included in the study was significantly associated with financial performance both for rural and urban hospitals. Conclusions were that small rural hospitals in Texas are experiencing a deterioration in financial condition but small, rural hospitals are not doing any worse than small urban hospitals; and that the financial hardship which rural hospitals suffer may be inherent in the nature of the institutions themselves, and not as a result of their smallness nor their rural settings. ^

A case-control study to identify risk factors for preterm labor in Colorado Springs, Colorado

The study objectives were to determine risk factors for preterm labor (PTL) in Colorado Springs, CO, with emphasis on altitude and psychosocial factors, and to develop a model that identifies women at high risk for PTL. Three hundred and thirty patients with PTL were matched to 460 control patients without PTL using insurance category as an indirect measure of social class. Data were gathered by patient interview and review of medical records. Seven risk groups were compared: (1) Altitude change and travel; (2) Psychosocial ((a) child, sexual, spouse, alcohol and drug abuse; (b) neuroses and psychoses; (c) serious accidents and injuries; (d) broken home (maternal parental separation); (e) assault (physical and sexual); and (f) stress (emotional, domestic, occupational, financial and general)); (3) demographic; (4) maternal physical condition; (5) Prenatal care; (6) Behavioral risks; and (7) Medical factors. Analysis was by logistic regression. Results demonstrated altitude change before or after conception and travel during pregnancy to be non-significant, even after adjustment for potential confounding variables. Five significant psychosocial risk factors were determined: Maternal sex abuse (p = 0.006), physical assault (p = 0.025), nervous breakdown (p = 0.011), past occupational injury (p = 0.016), and occupational stress (p = 0.028). Considering all seven risk groups in the logistic regression, we chose a logistic model with 11 risk factors. Two risk factors were psychosocial (maternal spouse abuse and past occupational injury), 1 was pertinent to maternal physical condition ($\le$130 lbs. pre-pregnancy weight), 1 to prenatal care ($\le$10 prenatal care visits), 2 pertinent to behavioral risks ($>$15 cigarettes per day and $\le$30 lbs. weight gain) and 5 medical factors (abnormal genital culture, previous PTB, primiparity, vaginal bleeding and vaginal discharge). We conclude that altitude change is not a risk factor for PTL and that selected psychosocial factors are significant risk factors for PTL. ^

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATTITUDE ASSESSMENT/ROLE PERCEPTION AND THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF HOSPITAL DEPARTMENT MANAGERS

Much of the current healthcare financial literature addresses the concern of government officials, the public, and healthcare providers regarding the need for control of health care costs. The literature suggests that attitudes of hospital department managers toward their role in financial management affects their ability to effect favorable financial results.^ There were several objectives of the dissertation: (1) To identify whether or not there exists a relationship between the attitude/role perception of hospital managers and the financial performance of their departments. (2) To compile a descriptive survey data base of key factors identified in the financial literature from individual hospitals. (3) To compile a brief descriptive survey of hospital managers' financial management background and training (both formal and informal). (4) To conduct an attitude assessment/role perception survey regarding the importance or relevance of a suggested financial management role set (i.e., issues discussed in the current literature) as viewed by the selected hospital managers and their matched administrators. (5) To propose plausible theoretical models and statistical tests of seven proposed hypotheses.^ The statistical results of a variety of methods generally suggested, for the sample population, that the null hypothesis should not be rejected concerning the relationships between a department manager's financial attitudes and role perceptions and the resultant financial performance.^ The fact that the results of this study did not suggest that there was a significant relationship which existed between role perception and financial performance does not necessarily indicate that the theories supporting such a relationship in literature are false, not that such a relationship does not exist. Several alternative theories were postulated to explain the apparent lack of statistical relationship, and suggestions for refinement and/or improvement of further research were discussed. ^

Bank restructuring and financial institution reform in Indonesia

The banking sector underwent drastic reform in post-crisis Indonesia. Bank restructuring, driven by IMF conditionalities, resulted in the exit of insolvent banks and ownership changes of major private banks. Through recapitalization and sales of government-held shares, foreign-owned banks emerged as leading actors in the place of business-group-affiliated banks. As part of the restructuring process, an exit rule was created. The central bank, which up to that time had been given only partial authority under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Finance, now gained a full range of authority over banks. The central bank's supervision system on banks, risk management systems at individual banks, and their efforts to build risk management capacities, began to function. This is totally different from the old financial institution under the Soeharto regime, where banks had no incentive to control risks, as the regime tacitly ensured their survival.

Separation of Control and Cash-Flow Rights of State Owned Listed Enterprises: Channels of Expropriation after the Discriminated Share Reform in China

Literature on agency problems arising between controlling and minority owners claim that separation of cash flow and control rights allows controllers to expropriate listed firms, and further that separation emerges when dual class shares or pyramiding corporate structures exist. Dual class share and pyramiding coexisted in listed companies of China until discriminated share reform was implemented in 2005. This paper presents a model of controller to expropriate behavior as well as empirical tests of expropriation via particular accounting items and pyramiding generated expropriation. Results show that expropriation is apparent for state controlled listed companies. While reforms have weakened the power to expropriate, separation remains and still generates expropriation. Size of expropriation is estimated to be 7 to 8 per cent of total asset at mean. If the "one share, one vote" principle were to be realized, asset inflation could be reduced by 13 percent.

Balanced scorecard to improve strategic management control at School of Mines and Energy, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

We studied the situation in Spanish public universities regarding the use of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), as an instrument of control and strategic management. Also, we studied its application to the School of Mines and Energy at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. The main advantage of the BSC is that improves the organizational structure of the workplace and the achievement of the objectives that ensure long-term success. First we review the strategy for success used in the Spanish educational system and specifically in the Spanish public universities. Then using the BSC and applying the main strategic lines for the successful management of the School of Mines and Energy at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. The strategic lines affect all the college groups and the success of the BSC tool is to increase communication between the faculties, personal auxiliary, students and society in general that make up the university. First we performed a SWOT analysis (DAFO in Spanish) there are proposed different perspectives that focus the long-term strategic objectives. The BSC is designed based on the strategic objectives that set the direction through using indicators and initiatives, the goals are achieved up to the programmed schedule. In the perspective of teaching, objectives are set to update facilities and increase partnerships with other universities and businesses, encouraging ongoing training of staff and improved coordination and internal communication. The internal process perspective aims at improving the marketing, the promotion of the international dimension of the school through strategic alliances, better mobility for students and professors and improved teaching and research quality results. It continues with improving the image of the school between customer?s perspective, the quality perceived by students and the loyalty of the teaching staff by retaining talent. Finally, the financial perspective which should contain costs without harming the quality, improving the employability of students and achieve relevant jobs at teaching and research through international measurement standards.