Simplifying transformations for type-alpha certificates

This paper presents an algorithm for simplifying NDL deductions. An array of simplifying transformations are rigorously defined. They are shown to be terminating, and to respect the formal semantis of the language. We also show that the transformations never increase the size or complexity of a deduction---in the worst case, they produce deductions of the same size and complexity as the original. We present several examples of proofs containing various types of "detours", and explain how our procedure eliminates them, resulting in smaller and cleaner deductions. All of the given transformations are fully implemented in SML-NJ. The complete code listing is presented, along with explanatory comments. Finally, although the transformations given here are defined for NDL, we point out that they can be applied to any type-alpha DPL that satisfies a few simple conditions.

Accuracy of Death Certificates in COPD: Analysis from the TORCH Trial

The Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) trial was an international clinical trial of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients where cause of death was assigned by an independent committee. Comparison of death certificate data and adjudicated cause of death allows a unique opportunity to determine death certificate accuracy and frequency of COPD listing on death certificates of COPD patients. In this analysis, the authors determine the concordance between adjudicated cause of death and primary and secondary cause of death from death certificates. In 317 (80%) of informative deaths, the primary or secondary cause of death from certificates agreed with adjudicated cause of death. Only 229 (58%) of death certificates in these COPD patients listed COPD on the certificate. COPD was not listed on the death certificate in 21% of deaths adjudicated to be caused by COPD exacerbation. Compared with pulmonary causes, the listing of COPD on certificates occurred with less frequency than cardiovascular, cancer and other categories of death. The combined primary and secondary listing on death certificates has good concordance with actual cause of death. COPD is under-reported on death certificates, and this under-reporting is more frequent when the primary cause of death is not pulmonary.

Estudo relativo à utilização dos Equipamentos de Medida e Precisão (EMP) nas ações de manutenção da frota F-16

Esta dissertação foi realizada, tendo como objecto de estudo a utilização de equipamentos de Medida e Precisão, em diversas áreas da manutenção da Base Aérea Nº 5. Como hipótese de trabalho, no âmbito da dissertação do Mestrado de Engenharia Instrumentação e Metrologia, foi proposta a elaboração de um estudo, tendo em vista, uma melhoria das capacidades da organização demonstrar certos requisitos no âmbito da gestão e controlo de equipamentos de Medida e Precisão. Assim, a metodologia utilizada para a realização desta dissertação, partiu da análise do estado da arte nas normas internacionais, da regulamentação emitida pela Força Aérea Portuguesa e no estudo das práticas em uso na manutenção da Base Aérea Nº 5, assim como, nos atuais meios de execução e controlo dessa gestão num sistema integrado de “gestão de conteúdos”. Foram realizados diversos trabalhos, tendo como objectivo uma melhoria no processo de gestão de Equipamentos de Medida e Precisão, com resultados imediatos, tais como um novo portal de metrologia, e-mail de informação sobre Equipamentos de Medida e Precisão e certificados digitais. Seguidamente, forma apresentados os resultados do estudo e demonstrada a necessidade de implementar um processo de recall, para as acções onde são usados Equipamentos de Medida e precisão. Na dissertação, são utilizadas terminologias aeronáuticas, por as mesmas serem comuns no seio da organização, assim como, consonantes com a prática usual na indústria de manutenção aeronáutica militar no mundo.

John O. McKellar (ship) certificates, 1952-1983.

The John O. McKellar was a ship that belonged to the Scott Misener fleet. The first ship named after McKellar was launched on Januaray 25, 1929, from Wallsend, England, and was bound for Sault St. Marie, Ontario. This ship became part of the Colonial Steamship Company in 1950, and in 1952 was renamed the J.G. Irwin when construction of a new John O. McKellar was completed. John Oscar McKellar was born on June 28, 1878 in Lobo Township, Middlesex County, west of London, Ont. He worked as a marine engineer, and became acquainted with Robert Scott Misener when the two were shipmates serving with the Algoma central fleet. In 1919, the two men joined forces to run a shipping company. Together, they purchased the wooden steamer "Simon Langell", and worked together on the ship for the next three years. Throughout his career with Misener's company, John McKellar served as Chief Engineer, then Marine Superintendent, and finally Secretary-Treasurer. He died on September 19, 1951.

Certificates of Post Office Registration

Certificates of Post Office Registration: Certificates numbered 840-845 and 469-474, all postmarked at St. Catharines, Ontario, 1882, 1884.

The impact of energy performance certificates on the rental and capital values of commercial property assets: some preliminary evidence from the UK

This paper focuses on the effect of energy performance ratings on the capital values, rental values and equivalent yields of UK commercial property assets. Of which a small number are also BREEAM rated, the study is based upon 708 commercial property assets held in the IPD UK Universe drawn from across all PAS segments. Incorporating a range of controls such as unexpired lease term, vacancy rate and tenant credit risk, hedonic regression procedures are used to estimate the effect of EPC rating. The study finds no evidence of a strong relationship between environmental and/or energy performance and rental and capital value. Bearing in mind the small number of BREEAM rated assets, there was a small but statistically significant effect on equivalent yield only. Similarly, there was no evidence that the EPC rating had any effect on Market Rent or Market Value with only minor effects of EPC ratings on equivalent yields. The preliminary conclusion is that energy labelling is not yet having the effects on Market Values and Market Rents that provide incentives for market participants to improve the energy efficiency of their commercial real estate assets.

Facing the future: energy performance certificates and commercial property

Purpose – The paper aims to present the findings of a “situation review” of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), focusing on energy performance certificates (EPCs) to highlight areas of specific importance for the UK property investment community. The paper is based on research commissioned by the Investment Property Forum (IPF) and funded through the IPF Research Programme (2006-2009). Design/methodology/approach – Interviews were undertaken with experts from the fields of property investment and building engineering. The interviews were undertaken with to identify: the current knowledge of EPCs in the property investment sector; key issues with practical implementation of the legislation; and perceptions of the potential impacts of legislation, particularly in relation to value stakeholder and behaviour. Findings – The paper finds that, although the regulations have been published, there is still a need for clarification in the marketplace with regard to some of the detail of regulations and the certification process. The following areas are of most concern to property investors: costs of surveys; potential difficulties with the process; and a shortage of assessors. With respect to these impacts it is becoming clear that investors who have not yet started considering the EPBD and its requirements within their strategy are likely to face difficulties in the short term. The most significant value-related impacts of EPBD are expected to be value differentiation of properties and “price chipping” against the rental or capital value of the property, where an occupier or potential purchaser will use the recommendations contained within an EPC to force a reduction in value. The latter is expected to emerge in the short term, whereas the former is expected to be realised over the medium to long term. Both these impacts have potentially significant implications for property investment holdings and also future investment behaviour.

More? You want more?..of course I do! Transsexualism and birth certificates-changing records or attitudes?

In 2004, the Victorian Government enacted legislation allowing people treated for transsexualism to correct the record of their sex on the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages and obtain a new certificate reflecting their contemporaneous circumstances. It was the last of all the States and Territories to do so.

The legislation gave effect to some important changes to the law and was generally couched in terms more sensitive than those already in place in the other jurisdictions. In the view of the author, however, its proponents failed to both understand the import of the expert medical evidence adduced in, and to implement the common law position enunciated by, the Family Court in Re Kevin (validity of marriage of transsexual) [2001] FamCA 1074 and subsequently confirmed on appeal two years later by the Full Court.

The author argues that, while a welcome improvement to the human rights record of successive Victorian Governments, the result is still a largely disappointing piece of legislation. Rather than being truly 'beneficial' to all who need security of their personal identities, it perpetuates some of the very worst discrimination directed at people with transsexualism and their families by continuing to portray them as psychologically deluded rather than physiologically atypical and denying a small number of them their rights on the basis of legal reasoning which is no longer regarded as tenable. She asserts the legislation serves as a clear demonstration that prejudices and misconceptions about transsexualism stilI abound and explains much more is needed if real human rights, acceptance and freedom from discrimination are to be eventually obtained by those affected by the phenomenon.

Compressed nested certificates provide more efficient PKI

Certificate verification in PKI is a complex and time consuming process. In the classical PKI methodology, in order to obtain a public key and to accept a certificate as valid, a verifier needs to extract a certificate path from the PKI and to verify the certificates on this path recursively. Levi proposed a nested certificate model vvith the aim to simplify and speed up certificate verification. Such a nested certificate-based PKI significantly improves certificate verification, but it also requires a large increase in the number of issued certificates, which makes this model impractical for real life deployment. In order to solve this drawback of nested PKI, while retaining its speed in certificate verification, we propose in this paper the innovative concept of a compressed nested certificate, which is a significantly modified version of the nested certificate model. Compressed nested certificate PKI deploys compressed nested certificates which speed up and simplify certificate verification while keeping certificate load to a minimum, thus providing implementers the option of integrating it into the existing PKI model or building it separately as an independent model.

Cryptanalysis on two certificates signature schemes

Certificateless cryptography has attracted a lot of attention from the research community, due to its applicability in information security. In this paper, we analyze two recently proposed certificateless signature schemes and point out their security flaws. In particular, we demonstrate universal forgeries against these schemes with known message attacks

Verification of Certificates of Origin in Economic Integration Agreements Signed by Latin American Countries

As explained in issue No. 236 of the FAL Bulletin in April 2006, the origin procedures in economic integration agreements (EIAs) signed by Latin American countries pertain to the issuance of certificates of origin and to the verification of origin when a product is imported. While that issue focused exclusively on the issuance of certificates of origin, the present edition concludes the cycle by dealing with the verification of that origin. Both subjects are related to the document entitled "Emisión y verificación de origen en acuerdos de integración económica suscritos por países de América Latina: debilidades y fortalezas".