bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the impact of different copulas in a generalized CreditRisk+ framework An empirical study
Authors: Jakob Kevin , Fischer Matthias 
Published: March 2014

AbstractWithout any doubt, credit risk is one of the most important risk types in the classical banking industry.
Consequently, banks are required by supervisory audits to allocate economic capital to cover unexpected
future credit losses. Typically, the amount of economical capital is determined with a credit portfolio model,
e.g. using the popular CreditRisk+ framework (1997) or one of its recent generalizations (e.g. [8] or [15]). Relying
on specific distributional assumptions, the credit loss distribution of the CreditRisk+ class can be determined
analytically and in real time. With respect to the current regulatory requirements (see, e.g. [4, p.
9-16] or [2]), banks are also required to quantify how sensitive their models (and the resulting risk figures) are
if fundamental assumptions are modified. Against this background, we focus on the impact of different dependence
structures (between the counterparties of the bank’s portfolio) within a (generalized) CreditRisk+
framework which can be represented in terms of copulas. Concretely, we present some results on the unknown
(implicit) copula of generalized CreditRisk+ models and quantify the effect of the choice of the copula
(between economic sectors) on the risk figures for a hypothetical loan portfolio and a variety of parametric
copulas.
Levels of certain endothelial biomarkers during the acute phase and convalescence in patients with different severity of mediterranean spotted fever
Authors: Baltadzhiev Ivan G. , Murdjeva Mariana A. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is a tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia conorii subspp. conorii. It is transmitted by the bite of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Modified by the rickettsial invasion, the micro-vascular endothelium acquires an activated inflammatory phenotype and initiates secretion of cytokines and expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and chemoattractans.
AIM: This study aims at investigating the alterations in the soluble cellular adhesion molecules (sCAMs) and chemokine MCP-1 levels in patients with MSF of varying severity in the acute and convalescence stage in order to assess their diagnostic and prognostic value.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The soluble forms of cellular adhesion molecules (sCAMs) - sЕ- selectin and sР-selectin, the intercellular (sICAM-1) and vascular (sVCAM-1) adhesion molecules as well as the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were studied in the sera of 80 patients with MSF. The presence of MSF was confirmed serologically by indirect fluorescence assay (IFA). In order to study disease dynamics, serum samples from 80 patients were drawn on day 1 following the onset of rash; in 60 patients (part of the surveyed 80) a second sample was taken in the convalescence period - 14 days post hospital discharge. The investigation was focused on mild, moderate and severe forms of MSF. Enzyme linked immune-sorbent assay was used for sCAMs determination (Quantikine IVD colorimetric ELISA).
RESULTS: Overall, in the acute stage, patients presented with increased levels of sЕ-selectin, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and MCP-1, whereas sР-selectin level was decreased. The levels of sЕ-selectin, sICAM-1 and sVCAМ-1 were significantly elevated in mild, moderate and severe forms of the disease with sE-selectin level exhibiting a plateau tendency and sICAM and sVCAM levels demonstrating an upward trend from mild towards severe MSF forms. MCP-1 level was elevated only in severe MSF. In all forms of MSF, in the convalescence period, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and МСР-1 concentration returned to reference levels whereas sE-selectin level persisted elevated. In the convalescence stage, sP- selectin concentration also showed an upward tendency, which in severe forms of MSF slightly exceeded the level in controls. sP-selectin levels correlated directly with platelet count, whereas sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels showed a reverse correlation. sE-selectin, sICAM-1 and MCP-1 levels directly correlated with aminotransferase activity (ALT and/or AST).
CONCLUSION: The soluble forms of CAMs reflect the endothelial inflammatory potential. There is evidence that endothelium activation is more potent in severe forms of MSF. Assessment of the endothelial response in the course of the disease is an important predictor of the outcome, the choice of therapeutic approach and disease prognosis.
Soluble e-cadherin as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in gastric carcinoma
Authors: Tsalikidis Christos , Papachristou Fotini , Pitiakoudis Michael , Asimakopoulos Byron , Trypsianis Grigorios , Bolanaki Eleni , Syrigos Konstantinos N. , Simopoulos Constantinos 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Modifications in E-cadherin (E-Cad) expression are associated with dedifferentiation, progression, metastases and poor prognosis in many types of tumors. The aim of the present study was to identify a potential association of the pre- and post-operative soluble E-Cad levels (sE-Cad) with the clinicopathological parameters of patients with gastric cancer.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum sE-Cad levels were determined in 99 gastric cancer patients and 78 healthy volunteers using ELISA.
RESULTS: Levels of sE-Cad were significantly increased in gastric cancer patients compared with these levels in healthy controls (p < 0.001). For the evaluation of the diagnostic significance of sE-Cad the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was 0.835, while the optimal cut-off point of 9.9 μg/mL was determined to classify gastric cancer patients, which yielded sensitivity of 72.7%, specificity of 80.8% and accuracy of 76.3%. Poor differentiation (p = 0.009) and the presence of distant metastases (p < 0.001) were the two significant independent prognostic determinants for high sE-Cad levels in multivariate linear regression analysis. The preoperative levels of sE-Cad also proved helpful in classifying patients according to the choice treatment (curative versus palliative) (AUC, 0.656); when the optimal cut-off point was set at 17.60 μg/mL, the sensitivity was 57%, the specificity was 83% and accuracy was 75%. Survival was shorter in patients with increased sE-Cad (median, 7 months vs 39 months, p = 0.0002), although multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated a marginal prognostic significance of sE-Cad for survival (adjusted HR = 1.68, 95% CI = 0.93 to 3.02, p = 0.072).
CONCLUSIONS: Serum sE-Cad levels could be considered as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in gastric cancer patients as well as a tool to select a treatment approach. The prognostic value of sE-Cad on overall survival requires further study.
Laparoscopic exploration of bile ducts in patients with calculosis. indications, methods and first results
Authors: Dimov Rosen S. , Kantchev Rangel I. , Boev Boris G. , Ivanov Todor I. , Apostolov Ilia A. , Hinov Anton G. , Stoilova Maria V. , Cheshmedzhiev Nedelcho M. , Mitev Kamen D. , Spassov Youri , Dimova Rositsa Cv. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: In the last few years there has been a resurgence of laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct as an alternative to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), the primary method for diagnosis and treatment of biliary tract calculosis. AIM: The aim of this study was to clarify the indications and methods for performing laparoscopic bile duct exploration, based on our experience in the field and data from the literature.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: We recruited 12 patients who underwent laparoscopic exploration and stone extraction from the common bile duct (CBD) in the surgical ward of Kaspela Hospital, Plovdiv over the period January 2011 to January 2012. The diagnostic and therapeutic modalities used in the study included laboratory tests, ultrasound study, CT, ERCP, digital cholangiography, clamp and balloon stone extraction, primary suture and choledochoduodenostomy.
RESULTS: Stone extraction was successfully performed in 8 patients using the transcystic approach through an incision used in the cholangiography. The procedure failed in the remaining four patients and we used here 2-cm longitudinal choledochotomy. In two patients the control cholangiography following the extraction of stones demonstrated complete clearance of the biliary tree and free passage of contrast agent from bile duct to duodenum (patent ampulla of Vater). In these two patients we performed a primary closure of the choledochotomy with a single interrupted suture (“ideal choledochotomy”). In two patients from the choledochotomy group, the control cholangiography showed the presence of residual stones or fragments trapped above the sphincter of Oddi with no contrast medium in the duodenum. In these cases we completed this procedure with latero-lateral choledochoduodenostomy by Flërken. All patients had a smooth postoperative course with no recorded complications. The average hospital stay was 5 days.
CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic exploration of the biliary ducts in calculosis is an efficient, safe and reliable method to manage this serious complication of gall-stone disease in the hands of an experienced laparoscopic surgeon. The results of its application are comparable and in some cases even better than those of ERCP used as a therapeutic procedure as regards clearance of the CBD and the complications involved in these two procedures.
Surgical management of metastatic tumors of the cervical spine
Authors: Davarski Atanas N. , Kitov Borislav D. , Zhelyazkov Christo B. , Raykov Stefan D. , Kehayov Ivo I. , Koev Ilyan G. , Kalnev Borislav M. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To present the results from the clinical presentation, the imaging diagnostics, surgery and postoperative status of 17 patients with cervical spine metastases, to analyse all data and make the respective conclusions and compare them with the available data in the literature.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study analysed data obtained by patients with metastatic cervical tumours treated in St George University Hospital over a period of seven years. All patients underwent diagnostic imaging tests which included, separately or in combination, cervical x-rays, computed tomography scan and magnetic-resonance imaging. Severity of neurological damage and its pre- and postoperative state was graded according to the Frankel Scale. For staging and operating performance we used the Tomita scale and Harrington classification.
RESULTS: Seven patients had only one affected vertebra, 4 patients - two vertebrae, one patient - three vertebrae, 2 patients - four vertebrae, and in the other 3 patients more than one segment was affected. Surgery was performed in 12 patients. One level anterior corpectomy was performed in 6 patients, three patients had two-level surgery, and one patient - three-level corpectomy; in the remaining 2 cases we used posterior approach in surgery. Complete corpectomy was performed in 4 patients, subtotal corpectomy was used in 6 patients and partial - in 2 patients. Anterior stabilization system ADD plus® (Ulrich GmbH & Co. KG, Ulm, Germany) was implanted in 2 patients; in 8 patients anterior titanium plate and bone graft were used, and in 1 patient - posterior cervical stabilization system.
CONCLUSIONS: Because of the pronounced pain syndrome and frequent neurological lesions as a result of the cervical spine metastases use of surgery is justified. The main purpose is to maximize tumor resection, achieve optimal spinal cord and nerve root decompression and stabilize the affected segment.
Insight into reimbursement decision-making criteria in Bulgaria: implications for orphan drugs
Authors: Iskrov Georgi G. , Raycheva Ralitsa D. , Stefanov Rumen S. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This article’s objective is to critically assess the Bulgarian legislation on health technology assessment (HTA). It analyses how innovative therapies and orphan drugs in particular would respond to the regulators’ decision-making criteria for reimbursement.
MATERIALS AND МETHODS: The study features critical analysis of current decision-making criteria for drug reimbursement in Bulgaria, as well as hypothetical scenario planning for orphan medicinal products.
RESULTS: The approval for inclusion into the Positive Drug List (PDL) (which is a must for reimbursement) has been reorganised into an assessment scoring system with decisionmaking criteria (presence of therapeutic alternative, clinical effectiveness, safety, pharmacoeconomics and societal value) divided into weighted indicators. An explicit threshold has been set - a medicinal product must score 60 points at least to be included in PDL. Under the currently defined reimbursement decision-making criteria a hypothetical middle- of-the-road scenario planning shows that an orphan drug would score 20 points for therapeutic alternative, 28 for clinical effectiveness and 12 for safety. It would take no points for pharmacoeconomics and societal value. This leaves the orphan drugs with a total score of 60 points, making the final outcome of real-life assessment and decision-making heavily dependent on small fluctuations.
CONCLUSIONS: The current reimbursement decision-making framework in Bulgaria seems to be generalised and not sufficiently transparent. It is unable to precisely assess innovative health technologies. The availability of a therapeutic alternative emerges as a key reimbursement decision-making criterion for orphan drugs, as these innovative products nominally provide the first medicinal therapy alternative to rare diseases.
A rare case of multiple rattlesnake bites
Authors: Iliev Yanko T. , Kristeva Sasha A. , Prancheva Maria G. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
The rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is a venomous viper inhabiting the southeastern parts of the United States. It is not found in the Balkans and Europe habitats. Subjects of the species are grown and seen in museums, exhibitions and terrariums, and sometimes in private collections. This may generate potentially toxic exposures to the venom in accidental contact. Acute poisoning with rattlesnake poison in Bulgaria is exotic, rare and even casuistic.
The venom of the rattlesnake exhibits neuropathic, proteolytic and hemolytic activities. Antivenom is not currently easily available in Bulgaria - it is not usually stored in hospitals because it is very rarely used and therefore rather expensive. We present a case of multiple envenomation (two different occasions) of one and the same person who kept rattlesnakes in a private terrarium. Local toxic syndrome was observed with burning and stinging pain at bite site combined with limited hemorrhage and necrosis. The hemolytic reaction and the local toxic results were successfully managed without resorting to any specific antidotal therapy.
Steam coal supplies for power generation – the concept of a mathematical model
Authors: Kamiński Jacek , Saługa Piotr 
Published: March 2014

Streszczenie
Ze względu na ukształtowaną historycznie strukturę paliwową wytwarzania energii elektrycznej w Polsce, podstawowym surowcem energetycznym wykorzystywanym do generacji energii elek- trycznej pozostaje węgiel kamienny i brunatny. Odzwierciedleniem takiej struktury wytwarzania jest odpowiednia struktura kosztów produkcji energii elektrycznej, w której przeważającym składnikiem są koszty pozyskania paliw. Celem artykułu jest opracowanie wstępnej koncepcji modelu matema- tycznego, którego zastosowanie ma prowadzić do redukcji kosztów pozyskania surowców ener- getycznych przedsiębiorstwa energetycznego. |Punktem wyjścia jest analiza kosztów paliwowych w sektorze wytwarzania energii elektrycznej na węglu kamiennym, a następnie analiza ilości po- zyskiwanego węgla oraz jego kosztów na przykładzie dwóch koncernów energetycznych, bazujących przede wszystkim na węglu energetycznym. Koncepcja budowy modelu zakłada jego otwartą architekturę, która pozwoli na dostosowanie zarówno samych założeń modelowych, jak i danych wejściowych do modelu w zależności od zmieniających się warunków rynkowych. Uwzględniono specyficzne uwarunkowania krajowego sektora paliwowo-energetycznego, między innymi konieczność spełnienia wymogów jakościowych węgla spalanego w poszczególnych blokach, możliwe źródła podaży, ze szczegółowym uwzględ- nieniem spółek węglowych zlokalizowanych w Polsce, oraz potencjalne źródła importowe. Założono również możliwość elastycznego doboru rozdzielczości czasowej modelu, w zależności od wymogów zarządczych. Zgodnie z zaproponowaną metodyką, dalsze prace nad modelem matematycznym optymalizującym proces zakupu surowców energetycznych koncernu energetycznego, poświęcone będą transpozycji modelu konceptualnego do postaci matematycznej modelu, a następnie jego imple- mentacji w środowisku modelowania.
Vitrified metallurgical wastes after zinc and lead production from the dump in Ruda Śląska in the aspect of mineralogical and chemical studies
Authors: Jonczy Iwona , Huber Miłosz , Lata Lesia 
Published: March 2014

Streszczenie
Odpady hutnicze zc względu na korzystne parametry techniczne są często wtórnie wykorzy- stywane w gospodarce, głównie do produkcji różnego rodzaju kruszyw. Wprowadzenie odpadów- hutniczych do środowiska determinuje konieczność poznania ich składu mincralogiczno-chcmicz- nego, na podstawie którego można ocenić zawartość w odpadach metali ciężkich, ich powiązania zc składnikami odpadów', a tym samym możliwości uwalniania i migracji metali do środowiska. W artykule scharakteryzowano skład mineralny i chemiczny zeszklonych odpadów' hutniczych po produkcji cynku i ołowiu zc starego zwałowiska w' Rudzic Śląskiej, odniesiono się również do wcześniej prowadzonych badań odpadów' stalowniczych. Stwierdzono, żc dominującym składnikiem odpadów- jest szkliwo, w otoczeniu którego występują wytrącenia metaliczne oraz drobne krystality faz krzemianowych. Stosunkowa niska zaw'artość metali ciężkich w' badanych odpadach w' połączeniu zc słabym ich zwietrzeniem (pomimo długoletniego składow'ania na zwałowisku), jak również nie- wielka wymywalność metali, stwarzają perspektywy wykorzystania badanych odpadów' hutniczych np. w drogownictwie jako jeden z kompozytów' do produkcji kruszyw'.
Primary school teachers' views on a holistic approach to facilitating the acquisition of musical cultural values
Authors: Badjanova JeĮena 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
Recent tendencies in education highlight the need to align the system of general education in Latvia with the tenets of sustainability. In keeping with this broad target orientation, this paper re-examines international and Latvian experiences and perspectives on the application of a holistic approach to the content of primary education. This review of good practice is set against the backdrop of different theories and approaches concerned with the essence and principles of holism. More specifically, the paper addresses the issue of ensuring successful acquisition of musical cultural values in primary school via a holistic approach. In this regard, the latter is construed as movement towards the new that facilitates positive attitudes towards musical cultural values among learners and is both physically and spiritually nurturing. The paper proposes a theoretically and empirically grounded model for the usage of a holistic approach with a view to enabling acquisition of musical cultural values in primary school. The gradual development of the model is traced in the course of theoretical and empirical inquiry, the latter involving a survey and an interview with five experts
Gaussian and Non-Gaussian operations on non-Gaussian state: engineering non-Gaussianity
Authors: Olivares Stefano , Allevi Alessia , Bondani Maria 
Published: March 2014

AbstractMultiple photon subtraction applied to a displaced phase-averaged coherent state, which is a non-Gaussian classical state, produces conditional states with a non trivial (positive) Glauber-Sudarshan Prepresentation. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that, despite its simplicity, this class of conditional states cannot be fully characterized by direct detection of photon numbers. In particular, the non-Gaussianity of the state is a characteristics that must be assessed by phase-sensitive measurements. We also show that the non-Gaussianity of conditional states can be manipulated by choosing suitable conditioning values and composition of phase-averaged states.
Foreign Accents in Polish: Non-native Speakers’ and Native Listeners’ Views
Authors: Szpyra-Kozłowska Jolanta , Radomski Marek 
Published: March 2014

Abstract
As in recent years a growing number of foreigners have been settling in Poland and learning our language, Poles have found themselves in a fairly new situation of being increasingly exposed, both in direct contacts and through the media, to their mother tongue pronounced with a variety of foreign accents. In a series of studies (Szpyra- Kozłowska and Radomski 2012, in press, Szpyra-Kozłowska 2013b) we have undertaken an examination of how such accents are perceived and evaluated by Polish listeners. The issues that have come under scrutiny so far concerned identification of the speakers’ origin, evaluation of different accents in terms of their intelligibility, degree of accentedness and acceptance, establishing the major perceptual properties of several accents and examining their salience.
In the present paper we focus on the participants of communication which involves accented Polish, i.e. non-native speakers and native listeners, and their views on this phenomenon. We examine them in two questionnaire studies, one administered to 40 foreign learners of Polish and the other one to 80 native listeners. Thus, our study sets itself the following goals:
to examine what attitudes Poles take towards Polish-speaking foreigners and their accents in particular (Questionnaire 2);
to juxtapose these opinions with foreign learners’ experience of Poles’ reactions to accented Polish (Questionnaire 1);
to draw implications for the phonetic training of foreigners who undertake to learn Polish.
The Mid-Winter Assemblage And Diversity Of Bird Populations At Patlakhawa Protected Forest, Coochbehar, West Bengal, India
Authors: Chatterjee Asitava , Adhikari Shuvadip , Barik Anandamay , Mukhopadhyay Subhra Kumar 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
We compared avian community structure of six contrasting habitat types at Patlakhawa Protected Forest of Dooars of West Bengal. During three weeks of the mid-winter studies 154 bird species representing 41 families were recorded. Of the 154 recorded species, 22 were observed in grasslands, 22 in swamp forest, 46 in riverine forest, 52 at miscellaneous plantation areas, 43 at forest edges and 51 at wetlands. The Shannon-Wiener general diversity indices varied among the habitats and ranged from 2.323 to 3.458. Richness (5.813-11.410), evenness (0.406-0.641) and dominance (0.042-0.128) indices also varied considerably among the study locations. The highest diversity, the lowest dominance and a very high evenness were characteristics of miscellaneous plantations. Grasslands showed highest evenness and considerably high species diversity. The lowest avian evenness and diversity were recorded in wetlands and swamp forests. Insectivorous birds were most numerous (53), followed by carnivorous (40), omnivorous (29) and frugivorous (15) birds. Winter appeared to be the best time for niche occupancy at the Himalayan foothills for assemblages of either winter migrants and visitors or altitudinal and passage migrants, as about 30% of all encountered species were migrants. 96 bird species were observed to occur at any one of these habitat types showing high habitat fidelity. Mixed avian foraging assemblages that varied in species number and compositions were observed and they contain 11 to 17 species. Avifaunal niche diversity and richness in different habitats of Patlakhawa Protected Forest during mid-winter envisaged its importance from conservation point of view.