proxy measure
Recently Published Documents


TOTAL DOCUMENTS

299
(FIVE YEARS 118)

H-INDEX

26
(FIVE YEARS 6)

Author(s):  
Sherika Antao ◽  
Ajit Karnik

AbstractNoninterest income (NII) is income generated by banks from sources other than interest payments. Studies conducted on the relationship between NII and bank risk for the USA and Europe have found that emphasis on income diversification lowers risk in European banks but exacerbates it in American banks. Current research on Asian banks has not led to a coherent view of the relationship between NII and bank risk. We employ data over 25 years for 24 Asian countries to examine this relationship. Using the GMM estimation approach we estimate equations for two time-periods, 1996–2007 and 2008–2018, to examine the NII-bank risk relationship in the presence of some controlling financial, macroeconomic and policy variables. Our results show that non-interest income worsens bank risk for all 24 countries as well as for sub-groups of countries. We also find that, by and large, economic growth improves bank risk while inflation above a threshold worsens it. Finally, our proxy measure for monetary policy improves bank risk though fiscal policy seems to have no effect.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
JFH Reijmer ◽  
LD Jong ◽  
M. C. Kruyt ◽  
MJ van Gorp ◽  
JLC van Susante

Abstract Background: There is a lack of knowledge about the biological process of intercorporal bone graft remodelling towards successful lumbar spine fusion with bridging vital bone between two adjacent vertebrae. Hounsfield Units (HU) highly correlate with Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and changes in HU may be valuable as proxy measure to monitor ongoing fusion. The aims of this study were to explore the feasibility to quantify BMD changes in the intercorporal bone graft after spinal fusion on consecutive CT-scans, and to explore whether trends in the individual changes in HU over time may serve as a proxy measure for successful fusion or non-fusion.Methods: A retrospective case series was conducted using available one-year and two-year CT-data from patients after posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery. First, a standardized measuring procedure was developed, incorporating internal phantomless calibration, to establish the HU values of the grafted region of interest using consecutive CT-slices. Subsequently, changes in the participants’ bone graft HU over time between their first and second year after surgery were explored.Results: Between one and two years after surgery, seven out of nine (78%) participants showed an increase in their bone grafts’ HU, ranging from 3% to 41%. In two participants HU-values decreased 14% and 32%, respectively. The intraobserver reliability of the HU measuring procedure was excellent (ICC 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.91 to 0.95)).Conclusion: The majority (78%) of participants in the current study showed increases in their bone graft HU, which suggests ongoing bone graft remodelling towards lumbar fusion. This result corresponds with the established percentages of achieved rigid bony fusion after lumbar spinal fusion surgery reported in the literature. Thus, prospective follow-up of CT-based HU measurements may have potential as diagnostic measure to monitor bone graft remodelling in time and trends may predict successful fusion or non-fusion. The measurement procedure developed in this study, using internal phantomless calibration, showed excellent intraobserver reliability and merits further study in larger patient numbers.


2022 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Michel Jacques Counotte ◽  
Mariana Avelino de Souza Santos ◽  
Koert J Stittelaar ◽  
Wim H M van der Poel ◽  
Jose L Gonzales

Background: The outbreak of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) triggered the rapid and successful development of vaccines to help mitigate the effect of COVID-19 and circulation of the virus. Vaccine efficacy is often defined as capacity of vaccines to prevent (severe) disease. However, the efficacy to prevent transmission or infectiousness is equally important at a population level. This is not routinely assessed in clinical trials. Preclinical vaccine trials provide a wealth of information about the presence and persistence of viruses in different anatomical sites. Methods: We systematically reviewed all available preclinical SARS-CoV-2 candidate vaccine studies where non-human primates were challenged after vaccination (PROSPERO registration: CRD42021231199). We extracted the underlying data, and recalculated the reduction in viral shedding. We summarized the efficacy of  vaccines to reduce viral RNA shedding after challenge by standardizing and stratifying the results by different anatomical sites and diagnostic methods. We considered shedding of viral RNA as a proxy measure for infectiousness. Results: We found a marked heterogeneity between the studies in the experimental design and the assessment of the outcomes. The best performing vaccine candidate per study caused only low (6 out of 12 studies), or moderate (5 out of 12) reduction of viral genomic RNA, and low (5 out of 11 studies) or moderate (3 out of 11 studies) reduction of subgenomic RNA in the upper respiratory tract, as assessed with nasal samples. Conclusions: Since most of the tested vaccines only triggered a low or moderate reduction of viral RNA in the upper respiratory tract, we need to consider that most SARS-CoV-2 vaccines that protect against disease might not fully protect against infectiousness and vaccinated individuals might still contribute to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Careful assessment of secondary attack rates from vaccinated individuals is warranted. Standardization in design and reporting of preclinical trials is necessary.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Gibson ◽  
Jace R Drain ◽  
Penelope Larsen ◽  
Sean Williams ◽  
Herbert Groeller ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Introduction Subjective measures may offer practitioners a relatively simple method to monitor recruit responses to basic military training (BMT). Yet, a lack of agreement between subjective and objective measures may presents a problem to practitioners wishing to implement subjective monitoring strategies. This study therefore aims to examine associations between subjective and objective measures of workload and sleep in Australian Army recruits. Materials and Methods Thirty recruits provided daily rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and differential RPE (d-RPE) for breathlessness and leg muscle exertion each evening. Daily internal workloads determined via heart rate monitors were expressed as Edwards training impulse (TRIMP) and average heart rate. External workloads were determined via global positioning system (PlayerLoadTM) and activity monitors (step count). Subjective sleep quality and duration was monitored in 29 different recruits via a customized questionnaire. Activity monitors assessed objective sleep measures. Linear mixed-models assessed associations between objective and subjective measures. Akaike Information Criterion assessed if the inclusion of d-RPE measures resulted in a more parsimonious model. Mean bias, typical error of the estimate (TEE) and within-subject repeated measures correlations examined agreement between subjective and objective sleep duration. Results Conditional R2 for associations between objective and subjective workloads ranged from 0.18 to 0.78, P < 0.01, with strong associations between subjective measures of workload and TRIMP (0.65–0.78), average heart rate (0.57–0.73), and PlayerLoadTM (0.54–0.68). Including d-RPE lowered Akaike Information Criterion. The slope estimate between objective and subjective measures of sleep quality was not significant. A trivial relationship (r = 0.12; CI −0.03, 0.27) was observed between objective and subjective sleep duration with subjective measures overestimating (mean bias 25 min) sleep duration (TEE 41 min). Conclusions Daily RPE offers a proxy measure of internal workload in Australian Army recruits; however, the current subjective sleep questionnaire should not be considered a proxy measure of objective sleep measures.


2022 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kahui Lim ◽  
Harold Leverenz ◽  
Cara Wademan ◽  
Samantha Barnum

AbstractClogging and odor is strongly associated with ureolytic biomineralization in waterless and low-flow urinal drainage systems in high usage settings. These blockages continue to hinder widespread waterless and low-flow urinal adoption due to subsequent high maintenance requirements and hygiene concerns. Through field observations, hypothesis testing, and multiple regression analysis, this study attempts to characterize, for the first time, the ureolytic activity of the biomineralization found in alternative technologies located at 9 State-owned restrooms. Multiple regression analysis (n = 55, df = 4, R2 = 0.665) suggests that intrasystem sampling location ($$ \hat{\upbeta} $$ β ̂ = 1.23, p < 0.001), annual users per rest area ($$ \hat{\upbeta} $$ β ̂ = 0.5, p = 0.004), and the volatile solids to total solids mass fraction ($$ \hat{\upbeta} $$ β ̂ = 0.59, p = 0.003), are statistically significant influencers of the ureolytic activity of biomineral samples (p < 0.05). Conversely, ureC gene abundance (p = 0.551), urinal type (p = 0.521) and sampling season (p = 0.956) are not significant predictors of biomineral ureolytic activity. We conclude that high concentrations of the urease alpha subunit, ureC, which can be interpreted as proxy measure of a strong, potentially ureolytic community, does not necessarily mean that the gene is being expressed. Future studies should assess ureC transcriptional activity to measure gene expression rather than gene abundance to assess the relationship between environmental conditions, their role in transcription, and urease activities. In sum, this study presents a method to characterize biomineral ureolysis. This study establishes baseline values for future ureolytic inhibition treatment studies that seek to improve the usability of urine collection and related source separation technologies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Léonie Hofstetter ◽  
Melanie Häusler ◽  
Petra Schweinhardt ◽  
Ursula Heggli ◽  
Denis Bron ◽  
...  

Background: Neck pain is a major cause of disability worldwide. Poor neck posture such as using a smartphone or work-related additional cervical axial load, such headgear of aviators, can cause neck pain. This study aimed at investigating the role of head posture or additional axial load on spinal stiffness, a proxy measure to assess cervical motor control.Methods: The posterior-to-anterior cervical spinal stiffness of 49 young healthy male military employees [mean (SD) age 20 ± 1 years] was measured in two head positions: neutral and 45-degree flexed head position and two loading conditions: with and without additional 3 kg axial load. Each test condition comprised three trials. Measurements were taken at three cervical locations, i.e., spinous processes C2 and C7 and mid-cervical (MC).Results: Cervical spinal stiffness measurements showed good reliability in all test conditions. There was a significant three-way interaction between location × head position × load [F(2, 576) = 9.305, p &lt; 0.001]. Significant two-way interactions were found between measurement locations × loading [F(2, 576) = 15.688, p &lt; 0.001] and measurement locations × head position [F(2, 576) = 9.263, p &lt; 0.001]. There was no significant interaction between loading × head position [F(1, 576) = 0.692, p = 0.406]. Post hoc analysis showed reduction of stiffness in all three measurement locations in flexion position. There was a decrease in stiffness in C2 with loading, increase in stiffness in C7 and no change in MC.Discussion: A flexed head posture leading to decreased stiffness of the cervical spine might contribute to neck pain, especially if the posture is prolonged and static, such as is the case with smartphone users. Regarding the additional load, stiffness decreased high cervical and increased low cervical. There was no change mid cervical. The lower spinal stiffness at the high cervical spine might be caused by capsular ligament laxity due to the buckling effect. At the lower cervical spine, the buckling effect seems to be less dominant, because the proximity to the ribs and sternum provide additional stiffness.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. e0258884
Author(s):  
Emilie A. Caspar ◽  
Frederike Beyer ◽  
Axel Cleeremans ◽  
Patrick Haggard

Milgram’s classical studies famously suggested a widespread willingness to obey authority, even to the point of inflicting harm. Important situational factors supporting obedience, such as proximity with the victim, have been established. Relatively little work has focused on how coercion affects individual cognition, or on identifying the cognitive factors that underlie inter-individual differences in the tendency to yield to coercion. Here, we used fMRI to investigate the neural systems associated with changes in volitional processes associated with sense of agency and sense of responsibility under coercion. Participants either freely chose, or were instructed by the experimenter, to give mildly painful electric shocks to another participant, or to refrain from doing so. We have previously shown that coercion reduces temporal binding, which has been proposed as an implicit proxy measure of sense of agency. We tested how reduced agency under coercion related to differences in neural activity between free choice and coercion. In contrast to previous studies and to participants performing the task outside the MRI scanner, on average there was no effect of coercion on agency for participants in the scanner. However, greater activity in the medial frontal gyrus was reliably associated with greater agency under coercion. A similar association was found using explicit responsibility ratings. Our findings suggest that medial frontal processes, perhaps related to volition during action planning and execution, may help to preserve a sense of accountability under coercion. Further, participants who administered more shocks under free choice showed reduced activity during free choice trials in brain areas associated with social cognition. Possibly, this might reflect participants cognitively distancing themselves from the recipient of the shocks under free choice, whereas this was not observed under coercion.


Wetlands ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob F. Berkowitz ◽  
Jason P. Pietroski

AbstractWetland delineations conducted in the United States utilize field indicators as proxy measures of the presence or absence of wetland hydrology. Water-stained leaves provide a practical, qualitative field indicator of wetland hydrology; however, the formation of water-stained leaves has not been elucidated. In response, leaves from six tree species were examined under five treatments to investigate the water-staining process and concomitant timeframes. Results indicate that leaf staining occurred within 14-21 days of continuous exposure to wetland waters and sediment under both laboratory and field conditions. Leaf staining was characterized by readily observable shifts in leaf color (i.e., decreasing Munsell hue, value, and chroma) causing the leaves to appear very dark or black. No color shifts associated with leaf staining occurred in treatments exposed to upland conditions. The timeframe associated with leaf staining corresponds with established wetland hydrology criteria requiring a minimum hydroperiod of 14 consecutive days of soil saturation, flooding, or ponding. Leaves exposed to wetland waters and sediment underwent color shifts significantly faster and to a greater extent than leaves inundated with deionized water, likely as a result of increased microbial abundance and the presence of anaerobic conditions in the simulated wetland treatments. Results suggest that water-stained leaves 1) are a useful and reliable wetland hydrology field indicator for wetland delineation purposes, 2) may provide a proxy measure of wetland hydroperiod, and 3) Munsell color measurements can help differentiate between leaves exposed to wetland and upland conditions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Dinkele ◽  
Sophia Gessner ◽  
Andrea McKerry ◽  
Bryan Leonard ◽  
Juane Leukes ◽  
...  

Rationale: Interrupting tuberculosis (TB) transmission requires an improved understanding of how - and when - the causative organism, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is aerosolized. Although Cough is commonly assumed to be the dominant source of Mtb aerosols, recent evidence of Cough-independent Mtb release implies the contribution of alternative mechanisms. Objective: To compare the aerosolization of Mtb and particulate matter from GeneXpert-positive patients during three separate respiratory manoeuvres: Tidal Breathing (TiBr), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and Cough. Methodology: Bioaerosol sampling and Mtb detection were combined with real-time assessments of CO2 production and particle counts from 39 confirmed TB patients. Measurements and Main Results: TiBr and FVC produced comparable numbers of particles, with Cough producing >4-fold more. For all manoeuvres, the proportions of particles detected across size categories from 0.5 - 5 µm were similar, with minor differences observed only in particles between 1.5 - 2 µm (p = 0.014) and >5 µm (p = 0.020). Viable Mtb bacilli were detected in 66%, 70%, and 65% of TiBr, FVC, and Cough samples, respectively. Notably, while Cough produced 3-fold more Mtb than TiBr, the relative infrequency of coughing compared to breathing implies that TiBr likely contributes >90% of the daily aerosolised Mtb across a range of Cough frequencies. Conclusions: Our results suggest that, while Cough increases particle aerosolization compared to TiBr, this is not associated with increased Mtb aerosolization. Instead, TiBr produces more Mtb per particle than Cough. Assuming the number of viable Mtb organisms detected provides a proxy measure of patient infectiousness, these observations imply a significant contribution of TiBr to TB transmission.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1324
Author(s):  
Michael Christopher Melnychuk ◽  
Ian H. Robertson ◽  
Emanuele R. G. Plini ◽  
Paul M. Dockree

Yogic and meditative traditions have long held that the fluctuations of the breath and the mind are intimately related. While respiratory modulation of cortical activity and attentional switching are established, the extent to which electrophysiological markers of attention exhibit synchronization with respiration is unknown. To this end, we examined (1) frontal midline theta-beta ratio (TBR), an indicator of attentional control state known to correlate with mind wandering episodes and functional connectivity of the executive control network; (2) pupil diameter (PD), a known proxy measure of locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic activity; and (3) respiration for evidence of phase synchronization and information transfer (multivariate Granger causality) during quiet restful breathing. Our results indicate that both TBR and PD are simultaneously synchronized with the breath, suggesting an underlying oscillation of an attentionally relevant electrophysiological index that is phase-locked to the respiratory cycle which could have the potential to bias the attentional system into switching states. We highlight the LC’s pivotal role as a coupling mechanism between respiration and TBR, and elaborate on its dual functions as both a chemosensitive respiratory nucleus and a pacemaker of the attentional system. We further suggest that an appreciation of the dynamics of this weakly coupled oscillatory system could help deepen our understanding of the traditional claim of a relationship between breathing and attention.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document