Abstract We derive three testable predictions from a bank-P2P lender model of competition: (a) P2P lending grows when some banks are faced with exogenously higher regulatory costs; (b) loans riskier than bank loans; and (c) the risk-adjusted interest rates on lower those loans. test these against data consumer credit market in Germany find empirical support. Overall, our analysis indicates that...

Universal robotic agents are envisaged to perform a wide range of manipulation tasks in everyday environments. A common action observed in many household chores is wiping, such as the absorption of spilled water with a sponge, skimming breadcrumbs off the dining table, or collecting shards of a broken mug using a broom. To cope with this versatility, the agents have to represent the tasks on a ...

Land plants underpin a multitude of ecosystem functions, support human livelihoods and represent a critically important component of terrestrial biodiversity-yet many tens of thousands of species await discovery, and plant identification remains a substantial challenge, especially where material is juvenile, fragmented or processed. In this opinion article, we tackle two main topics. Firstly, w...

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Just as Sanger sequencing did more than 20 years ago, next-generation sequencing (NGS) is poised to revolutionize plant systematics. By combining multiplexing approaches with NGS throughput, systematists may no longer need to choose between more taxa or more characters. Here we describe a genome skimming (shallow sequencing) approach for plant systematics. METHODS Through...

In skimming flows on stepped spillway, flow resistance is predominantly a form drag process. Cavity recirculation and air entrainment are intense. The interactions between entrained air bubbles and mixing layers may cause some reduction in flow resistance. The paper presents new evidence showing a reduction in friction factor in skimming flow with increasing free-surface aeration. The experimen...

Can Plasma Skimming or Inconstancy of Regional Hematocrit Introduce Serious Errors in Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Measurements or Their Interpretation? • Recent reports indicate that in cases of elevated plasma or blood viscosity, red cell velocity through the cerebral microcirculation is unimpaired while plasma transit is retarded. One explanation may be that plasma skimming is increased, wit...