Trade wars in the TRIPS Council: Intellectual property, technology transfer, and climate change

This Chapter considers the geopolitical conflicts in respect of intellectual property, trade, and climate change in the TRIPS Agreement 1994 under the World Trade Organization (WTO). In particular, it focuses upon debates in the TRIPS Council on the topic of patent law and clean energy in 2013 and 2014. The chapter highlights the development agenda of a number of developing countries who are keen for access to clean energy to combat climate change and global warming. It also considers the mixed contributions of members of the BRICS/ BASIC group – including Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. This chapter highlights the intellectual property maximalist position of a number of developed countries on intellectual property, climate change, and trade. Seeking to overcome this conflict and stalemate, this Chapter puts forward both procedural and substantial reform options in respect of intellectual property, trade, and climate change in the TRIPS Council and the WTO. It also flags that the TRIPS Agreement 1994 could well be displaced by the rise of mega-regional trade agreements – such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Urban growth dilemmas and solutions in China: Looking forward to 2030

China’s urbanization and industrialization are occupying farmland in large amounts, which is strongly driven by land finance regime. This is due to the intensified regional/local competition for manufacturing investment opportunities that push local governments to expropriate farmland at low prices while lease land at high market value to property developers. The additional revenue obtained in this way, termed financial increment in land values, can drive local economic growth, and provide associated infrastructure and other public services. At the same time, however, a floating population of large numbers of inadequately compensated land-lost farmers, although unable to become citizens, have to migrate into the urban areas for work, causing overheated employment and housing markets, with rocketing unaffordable housing prices. This, together with various micro factors relating to the party/state’s promotion/evaluation system play an essential role leading to some serious economic, environment and social consequences, e.g., on migrant welfare, the displacement of peasants and the loss of land resources that requires immediate attention. Our question is: whether such type of urbanization is sustainable? What are the mechanisms behind such a phenomenal urbanization process? From the perspective of institutionalism, this paper aims to investigate the institutional background of the urban growth dilemma and solutions in urban China and to introduce further an inter-regional game theoretical framework to indicate why the present urbanization pattern is unsustainable. Looking forward to 2030, paradigm policy changes are made from the triple consideration of floating population, social security and urban environmental pressures. This involves: (1) changing land increment based finance regime into land stock finance system; (2) the citizenization of migrant workers with affordable housing, and; (3) creating a more enlightened local government officer appraisal system to better take into account societal issues such as welfare and beyond.

Ultrastructure of Biofilms Formed by Bacteria from Industrial Processes

Microorganisms exist predominantly as sessile multispecies communities in natural habitats. Most bacterial species can form these matrix-enclosed microbial communities called biofilms. Biofilms occur in a wide range of environments, on every surface with sufficient moisture and nutrients, also on surfaces in industrial settings and engineered water systems. This unwanted biofilm formation on equipment surfaces is called biofouling. Biofouling can significantly decrease equipment performance and lifetime and cause contamination and impaired quality of the industrial product. In this thesis we studied bacterial adherence to abiotic surfaces by using coupons of stainless steel coated or not coated with fluoropolymer or diamond like carbon (DLC). As model organisms we used bacterial isolates from paper machines (Meiothermus silvanus, Pseudoxanthomonas taiwanensis and Deinococcus geothermalis) and also well characterised species isolated from medical implants (Staphylococcus epidermidis). We found that coating of steel surface with these materials reduced its tendency towards biofouling: Fluoropolymer and DLC coatings repelled all four biofilm formers on steel. We found great differences between bacterial species in their preference of surfaces to adhere as well as their ultrastructural details, like number and thickness of adhesion organelles they expressed. These details responded differently towards the different surfaces they adhered to. We further found that biofilms of D. geothermalis formed on titanium dioxide coated coupons of glass, steel and titanium, were effectively removed by photocatalytic action in response to irradiation at 360 nm. However, on non-coated glass or steel surfaces irradiation had no detectable effect on the amount of bacterial biomass. We showed that the adhesion organelles of bacteria on illuminated TiO2 coated coupons were complety destroyed whereas on non-coated coupons they looked intact when observed by microscope. Stainless steel is the most widely used material for industrial process equipments and surfaces. The results in this thesis showed that stainless steel is prone to biofouling by phylogenetically distant bacterial species and that coating of the steel may offer a tool for reduced biofouling of industrial equipment. Photocatalysis, on the other hand, is a potential technique for biofilm removal from surfaces in locations where high level of hygiene is required. Our study of natural biofilms on barley kernel surfaces showed that also there the microbes possessed adhesion organelles visible with electronmicroscope both before and after steeping. The microbial community of dry barley kernels turned into a dense biofilm covered with slimy extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) in the kernels after steeping in water. Steeping is the first step in malting. We also presented evidence showing that certain strains of Lactobacillus plantarum and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, when used as starter cultures in the steeping water, could enter the barley kernel and colonise the tissues of the barley kernel. By use of a starter culture it was possible to reduce the extensive production of EPS, which resulted in a faster filtration of the mash.

Structure of Ce1-xSnxO2 and its relation to oxygen storage property from first-principles analysis

CeO2-SnO2 solid solution has been reported to possess high oxygen storage/release property which possibly originates from local structural distortion. We have performed first-principles based density functional calculations of Ce1-xSnxO2 structure (x=0, 0.25, 0.5, 1) to understand its structural stability in fluorite in comparison to rutile structure of the other end-member SnO2, and studied the local structural distortion induced by the dopant Sn ion. Analysis of relative energies of fluorite and rutile phases of CeO2, SnO2, and Ce1-xSnxO2 indicates that fluorite structure is the most stable for Ce1-xSnxO2 solid solution. An analysis of local structural distortions reflected in phonon dispersion show that SnO2 in fluorite structure is highly unstable while CeO2 in rutile structure is only weakly unstable. Thus, Sn in Ce1-xSnxO2-fluorite structure is associated with high local structural distortion whereas Ce in Ce1-xSnxO2-rutile structure, if formed, will show only marginal local distortion. Determination of M-O (M=Ce or Sn) bond lengths and analysis of Born effective charges for the optimized structure of Ce1-xSnxO2 show that local coordination of these cations changes from ideal eightfold coordination expected of fluorite lattice to 4+4 coordination, leading to generation of long and short Ce-O and Sn-O bonds in the doped structure. Bond valence analyses for all ions show the presence of oxygen with bond valence similar to 1.84. These weakly bonded oxygen ions are relevant for enhanced oxygen storage/release properties observed in Ce1-xSnxO2 solid solution. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Pulp and Paper Fiction: On the Discursive Legitimation of Global Industrial Restructuring

Despite the central role of legitimacy in social and organizational life, we know little of the subtle meaning-making processes through which organizational phenomena, such as industrial restructuring, are legitimated in contemporary society. Therefore, this paper examines the discursive legitimation strategies used when making sense of global industrial restructuring in the media. Based on a critical discourse analysis of extensive media coverage of a revolutionary pulp and paper sector merger, we distinguish and analyze five legitimation strategies: (1) normalization, (2) authorization, (3) rationalization, (4) moralization, and (5) narrativization. We argue that while these specific legitimation strategies appear in individual texts, their recurring use in the intertextual totality of the public discussion establishes the core elements of the emerging legitimating discourse.

Voting Paths

We consider a variant of the popular matching problem here. The input instance is a bipartite graph $G=(\mathcal{A}\cup\mathcal{P},E)$, where vertices in $\mathcal{A}$ are called applicants and vertices in $\mathcal{P}$ are called posts. Each applicant ranks a subset of posts in an order of preference, possibly involving ties. A matching $M$ is popular if there is no other matching $M'$ such that the number of applicants who prefer their partners in $M'$ to $M$ exceeds the number of applicants who prefer their partners in $M$ to $M'$. However, the “more popular than” relation is not transitive; hence this relation is not a partial order, and thus there need not be a maximal element here. Indeed, there are simple instances that do not admit popular matchings. The questions of whether an input instance $G$ admits a popular matching and how to compute one if it exists were studied earlier by Abraham et al. Here we study reachability questions among matchings in $G$, assuming that $G=(\mathcal{A}\cup\mathcal{P},E)$ admits a popular matching. A matching $M_k$ is reachable from $M_0$ if there is a sequence of matchings $\langle M_0,M_1,\dots,M_k\rangle$ such that each matching is more popular than its predecessor. Such a sequence is called a length-$k$ voting path from $M_0$ to $M_k$. We show an interesting property of reachability among matchings in $G$: there is always a voting path of length at most 2 from any matching to some popular matching. Given a bipartite graph $G=(\mathcal{A}\cup\mathcal{P},E)$ with $n$ vertices and $m$ edges and any matching $M_0$ in $G$, we give an $O(m\sqrt{n})$ algorithm to compute a shortest-length voting path from $M_0$ to a popular matching; when preference lists are strictly ordered, we have an $O(m+n)$ algorithm. This problem has applications in dynamic matching markets, where applicants and posts can enter and leave the market, and applicants can also change their preferences arbitrarily. After any change, the current matching may no longer be popular, in which case we are required to update it. However, our model demands that we switch from one matching to another only if there is consensus among the applicants to agree to the switch. Hence we need to update via a voting path that ends in a popular matching. Thus our algorithm has applications here.

Modelling and Forecasting Property Rents and Returns (summary section only)

Recently, focus of real estate investment has expanded from the building-specific level to the aggregate portfolio level. The portfolio perspective requires investment analysis for real estate which is comparable with that of other asset classes, such as stocks and bonds. Thus, despite its distinctive features, such as heterogeneity, high unit value, illiquidity and the use of valuations to measure performance, real estate should not be considered in isolation. This means that techniques which are widely used for other assets classes can also be applied to real estate. An important part of investment strategies which support decisions on multi-asset portfolios is identifying the fundamentals of movements in property rents and returns, and predicting them on the basis of these fundamentals. The main objective of this thesis is to find the key drivers and the best methods for modelling and forecasting property rents and returns in markets which have experienced structural changes. The Finnish property market, which is a small European market with structural changes and limited property data, is used as a case study. The findings in the thesis show that is it possible to use modern econometric tools for modelling and forecasting property markets. The thesis consists of an introduction part and four essays. Essays 1 and 3 model Helsinki office rents and returns, and assess the suitability of alternative techniques for forecasting these series. Simple time series techniques are able to account for structural changes in the way markets operate, and thus provide the best forecasting tool. Theory-based econometric models, in particular error correction models, which are constrained by long-run information, are better for explaining past movements in rents and returns than for predicting their future movements. Essay 2 proceeds by examining the key drivers of rent movements for several property types in a number of Finnish property markets. The essay shows that commercial rents in local markets can be modelled using national macroeconomic variables and a panel approach. Finally, Essay 4 investigates whether forecasting models can be improved by accounting for asymmetric responses of office returns to the business cycle. The essay finds that the forecast performance of time series models can be improved by introducing asymmetries, and the improvement is sufficient to justify the extra computational time and effort associated with the application of these techniques.

The Nature and Change of Bonds in Industrial Business Relationships

A focus on cooperative industrial business relationships has become increasingly important in studies of industrial relationships. If the relationships between companies are strong it is usually a sign that companies will cooperate for a longer time and that may affect companies’ competitive and financial strength positively. As a result the bonds between companies become more important. This is due to the fact that bonds are building blocks of relationships and thus affect the stability in the cooperation between companies. Bond strength affect relationship strength. A framework regarding how bonds develop and change in an industrial business relationship has been developed in the study. Episodes affect the bonds in the relationship strengthening or weakening the bonds in the relationship or preserving status quo. Routine or critical episodes may lead to the strengthening or weakening of bonds as well as the preservation of status quo. The method used for analyzing bond strength trying to grasp the nature and change of bonds was invented by systematically following the elements of the definitions of bonds. A system with tables was drawn up in order to find out if the bond was weak, of medium strength or strong. Bonds are important regulators of industrial business relationships. By influencing the bonds one may have possibilities to strengthen or weaken the business relationship. Strengthen the business relationship in order to increase business and revenue and weaken the relationship in order to terminate business where the revenue is low or where there may be other problems in the relationship. By measuring the strength of different bonds it can be possible to strengthen weak bonds in order to strengthen the relationship. By using bond management it is possible to strategically strengthen or weaken the bonds between the cooperating companies in order to strengthen the cooperation and tie the customer or supplier to the company or weaken the cooperation in order to terminate the relationship. The instrument for the management of bonds is to use the created bond audit in order to know which bonds resources should be focused on in order to increase or decrease their strength.

Wavelet transform based error concealment approach for image denoising

Denoising of images in compressed wavelet domain has potential application in transmission technology such as mobile communication. In this paper, we present a new image denoising scheme based on restoration of bit-planes of wavelet coefficients in compressed domain. It exploits the fundamental property of wavelet transform - its ability to analyze the image at different resolution levels and the edge information associated with each band. The proposed scheme relies on the fact that noise commonly manifests itself as a fine-grained structure in image and wavelet transform allows the restoration strategy to adapt itself according to directional features of edges. The proposed approach shows promising results when compared with conventional unrestored scheme, in context of error reduction and has capability to adapt to situations where noise level in the image varies. The applicability of the proposed approach has implications in restoration of images due to noisy channels. This scheme, in addition, to being very flexible, tries to retain all the features, including edges of the image. The proposed scheme is computationally efficient.

Elastic property estimation using Ultrasound Assisted Optical Elastography through Remote Palpation - A simulation study - art. no. 61640Q

We propose an effective elastography technique in which an acoustic radiation force is used for remote palpation to generate localized tissue displacements, which are directly correlated to localized variations of tissue stiffness and are measured using a light probe in the same direction of ultrasound propagation. The experimental geometry has provision to input light beam along the ultrasound propagation direction, and hence it can be prealigned to ensure proper interception of the focal region by the light beam. Tissue-mimicking phantoms with homogeneous and isotropic mechanical properties of normal and malignant breast tissue are considered for the study. Each phantom is insonified by a focusing ultrasound transducer (1 MHz). The focal volume of the transducer and the ultrasound radiation force in the region are estimated through solving acoustic wave propagation through medium assuming average acoustic properties. The forward elastography problem is solved for the region of insonification assuming the Lame's parameters and Poisson's ratio, under Dirichlet boundary conditions which gives a distribution of displacement vectors. The direction of displacement, though presented spatial variation, is predominantly towards the ultrasound propagation direction. Using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation we have traced the photons through the phantom and collected the photons arriving at the detector on the boundary of the object in the direction of ultrasound. The intensity correlations are then computed from detected photons. The intensity correlation function computed through MC simulation showed a modulation whose strength is found to be proportional to the amplitude of displacement and inversely related to the storage (elastic) modulus. It is observed that when the storage modulus in the focal region is increased the computed displacement magnitude, as indicated by the depth of modulation in the intensity autocorrelation, decreased and the trend is approximately exponential.

Wavelet transform based error concealment approach for image denoising

Denoising of images in compressed wavelet domain has potential application in transmission technology such as mobile communication. In this paper, we present a new image denoising scheme based on restoration of bit-planes of wavelet coefficients in compressed domain. It exploits the fundamental property of wavelet transform - its ability to analyze the image at different resolution levels and the edge information associated with each band. The proposed scheme relies on the fact that noise commonly manifests itself as a fine-grained structure in image and wavelet transform allows the restoration strategy to adapt itself according to directional features of edges. The proposed approach shows promising results when compared with conventional unrestored scheme, in context of error reduction and has capability to adapt to situations where noise level in the image varies. The applicability of the proposed approach has implications in restoration of images due to noisy channels. This scheme, in addition, to being very flexible, tries to retain all the features, including edges of the image. The proposed scheme is computationally efficient.

Customer Needing - Conceptualising Industrial Service from a Customer Perspective

Views on industrial service have conceptually progressed from the output of the provider’s production process to the result of an interaction process in which the customer also is involved. Although there are attempts to be customer-oriented, especially when the focus is on solutions, an industrial company’s offering combining goods and services is inherently seller-oriented. There is, however, a need to go beyond the current literature and company practices. We propose that what is needed is a genuinely customer-based parallel concept to offering that takes the customer’s view and put forward a new concept labelled customer needing. A needing is based on the customer’s mental model of their business and strategies which will affect priorities, decisions, and actions. A needing can be modelled as a configuration of three dimensions containing six functions that create realised value for the customer. These dimensions and functions can be used to describe needings which represent starting points for sellers’ creation of successful offerings. When offerings match needings over time the seller should have the potential to form and sustain successful buyer relationships.

Re-Conceptualizing Value-Creation From Industrial Business Logic to Service Business Logic

There is an urgent interest in marketing to move away from neo-classical value definitions suggesting that value creation is a process of exchanging goods for money. In the present paper, value creation is conceptualized as an integration of two distinct, yet closely coupled processes. First, actors co-create what this paper calls an underlying basis of value. This is done by interactively re-configuring resources. By relating and combining resources, activity sets, and risks across actor boundaries in novel ways actors create joint productivity gains – a concept very similar to density (Normann, 2001). Second, actors engage in a process of signification and evaluation. Signification implies co-constructing the meaning and worth of joint productivity gains co-created through interactive resource re-configuration, as well as sharing those gains through a pricing mechanism as value to involved actors. The conceptual framework highlights an all-important dynamics associated with ´value creation´ and ´value´ - a dynamics the paper claims has eluded past marketing research. The paper argues that the framework presented here is appropriate for the interactive service perspective, where value and value creation are not objectively given, but depend on the power of involved actors´ socially constructed frames to mobilize resources across actor boundaries in ways that ´enhance system well-being´ (Vargo et al., 2008). The paper contributes to research on Service Logic, Service-Dominant Logic, and Service Science.

Anti-amyloidogenic property of leaf aqueous extract of Caesalpinia crista

Amyloid beta (A beta) is the major etiological factor implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A beta(42) self-assembles to form oligomers and fibrils via multiple aggregation process. The recent studies aimed to decrease A beta levels or prevention of A beta aggregation which are the major targets for therapeutic intervention. Natural products as alternatives for AD drug discovery are a current trend. We evidenced that Caesalpinia crista leaf aqueous extract has anti-amyloidogenic potential. The studies on pharmacological properties of C. crista are very limited. Our study focused on ability of C. crista leaf aqueous extract on the prevention of (i) the formation of oligomers and aggregates from monomers (Phase I: A beta(42) + extract co-incubation); (ii) the formation of fibrils from oligomers (Phase II: extract added after oligomers formation); and (iii) dis-aggregation of pre-formedfibrils (Phase III: aqueous extract added to matured fibrils and incubated for 9 days). The aggregation kinetics was monitored using thioflavin-T assay and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that C. crista aqueous extract could able to inhibit the A beta(42) aggregation from monomers and oligomers and also able todis-aggregate the pre-formed fibrils. The study provides an insight on finding new natural products for AD therapeutics. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.