System dynamics (SD) may amplify asset and liability management (ALM) methodology capability to be risk oriented. Therefore, this paper aims to apply SD principles to ALM models, in the specific case of pension funds. Conceptual issues assigned to ALM variables are described and a dynamic ALM approach, based on SD general principles and risk factors, is then examined. Risk must be defined in ta...

OBJECTIVE To test the safety and immunogenicity of two doses of autoclaved L. major (ALM) vaccine mixed with BCG. SETTING Kala-azar endemic area of eastern Sudan. DESIGN This was a randomised, double blind and BCG controlled phase I/II study. SUBJECTS Eighty healthy volunteers (forty children and forty adults) with no past history of kala-azar, no reactivity to leishmanin antigen and with...

Background: Appendicular skeletal muscle (or lean) mass (ALM) estimated by dual-energy Xray absorptiometry (DXA) is considered to be a preferred method for sarcopenia studies. However, DXA is expensive, has limited portability, and requires radiation exposure. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is inexpensive, easy to use, and portable; thus BIA might be useful in sarcopenia investigations....

STUDY OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of active limb mobilization (ALM) with or without electrical stimulation (ES) on muscle strength, respiratory rate (RR), heart rate, oxygen saturation, and time needed to transfer from bed to chair in two groups of patients with COPD. DESIGN Randomized, controlled study. SETTING Respiratory high-dependency care unit. PATIENTS Twenty-four bed-bound pa...

BACKGROUND Almonds can decrease glycemic index of co-consumed foods and are a rich source for oleic acid and α-tocopherol. The aim of the randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial was to examine whether as compared to NCEP step II diet as control (CON), ~60 g/d almonds (ALM) added to CON would improve glucoregulation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in 33 Chinese T2DM patient...

AESTRACT In this paper we extend the continuous-time dynamic programming approach for Asset/Liability Management from Boulier et al. (1995). It is an extension in the sense that we consider objective functions for pension fund management that are different from the standard quadratic loss functions. In particular, we calculate optimal policies for a loss Rmction with Constant Relative Risk Aver...

The paper introduces a new modular action language, ALM, and illustrates the methodology of its use. It is based on the approach of Gelfond and Lifschitz (1993; 1998) in which a high-level action language is used as a front end for a logic programming system description. The resulting logic programming representation is used to perform various computational tasks. The methodology based on exist...

With the rapid growth of Internet, media streaming plays an important role for the growing demand of media service. Application Level Multicast (ALM) has emerged as a key alternative to enable broadcasting the streaming media over the Internet. Several studies have proposed solutions to construct ALM multicast trees with various aspects such as end-to-end delay optimization, quick joining delay...

OBJECTIVE Left atrial size is an important marker for adverse cardiovascular events. There is general consensus that left atrial volume index (LAVI) is the best measurement of size. The current LAVI measurement techniques are laborious. Semi-automated measurement with a 3-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) system may be a practical clinical alternative to measure LAVI, but it has not been adequ...

Background and aim: Efficacy of vaccines is mainly depending on the type of adjuvant used. Efficacy trials of first generation vaccine against leishmaniasis showed a limited efficacy due to lack of an appropriate adjuvant. The objective of this study was to investigate whether positively charged liposomes containing ALM could induce Th1 type immune response in susceptible Balb/c mice.Mate...