A critical analysis of the X.400 model of message handling systems

The CCITT X.400 model of store and forward Message Handling Systems (MHS) serves as a common basis for the definition of electronic mail services and protocols both within CCITT and ISO. This paper presents an analysis of this model and its related recommendations from two perspectives. First the concepts of service, protocol and interface are discussed together with their application to this model; second the positioning within ISO's reference model for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) is commented on

Framework of Socialisation, Authentic Leadership and Affective Commitment for Construction Professionals

This paper highlights the human resources (HR) or behaviour-related success factors in construction projects, and these are training, understanding, co-worker support, future prospects, authentic leadership, and affective commitment. There exists discrepancies in existing literature regarding the factor structure of organisational socialisation and authentic leadership. Therefore, this study aims to explore the factor structure of socialisation, authentic leadership and affective commitment. Data was gathered from 301 newly joined construction professionals and  Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the factor structure for organisational socialisation, authentic leadership and affective commitment. A measurement model was further developed using the domains of organisational socialisation, authentic leadership and affective commitment. The results of CFA revealed that there exists four zero-order factor structure for organisational socialisation, and one zero-order factor structure for authentic leadership. The study contributes to both the researcher and practitioner communities by integrating the three constructs and validating the factor structure in the new context (i.e. construction). Further, the study contributes towards improving HR processes, namely, training, reward system, and induction process. It also helps in augmenting the authenticity among the project participants

Pacific 187Os/188Os isotope chemistry and U-Pb geochronology: synchroneity of global Os isotope change across OAE 2

Studies of OAE 2 sections beyond the Atlantic Ocean, Western Interior Seaway (WIS) and European pelagic shelf are limited. Here, we present initial osmium isotope stratigraphy (187Os/188Os–Osi) from two proto-Pacific sites that span the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary interval (CTBI): the Yezo Group (YG) section, Hokkaido, Japan, and the Great Valley Sequence (GVS), California, USA; to evaluate the 187Os/188Os seawater chemistry of the proto-Pacific. Additionally we combine new 206Pb/238U zircon CA-ID-TIMS geochronology from five volcanic tuff horizons of the Yezo Group section to test and facilitate inter-basinal integration with the WIS using radio-isotopically constrained age–depth models for both sections, and quantitatively constrain the absolute timing and duration of events across the CTBI. The YG shows an almost identical Osi profile to that of the WIS, and very similar to that of other sites of the proto-Atlantic and European pelagic oceans (Turgeon and Creaser, 2008 and Du Vivier et al., 2014). The characteristics of the Osi profile are radiogenic and heterogeneous (∼0.55–0.85) prior to the OAE 2, and synchronous with the inferred OAE 2 onset the Osi abruptly become unradiogenic and remain relatively homogeneous (∼0.20–0.30) before showing a gradual return to more radiogenic View the MathML source throughout the middle to late OAE 2. A206Pb/238U zircon age of an interbedded tuff (HK017) in the adjacent horizon to the first unradiogenic Osi value constrains the age of the Osi inflection at 94.44±0.14 Ma. This age, including uncertainty, agrees with the interpolated age of the same point in the Osi profile (94.28±0.25 Ma) in the only other dated OAE 2 section, the WIS; indicating a coeval shift in seawater chemistry associated with volcanism at the OAE 2 onset at the levels of temporal resolution (ca. 0.1 Myr). Further, prior to the onset of OAE 2 an enhanced radiogenic inflection in the Osi profile of the YG is correlative, within uncertainty, with a similar trend in the WIS based on the U–Pb age–depth model. The interpolated ages, 94.78±0.12 Ma and 94.66±0.25 Ma for this Osi inflection in the YG and WIS, respectively, indicate that palaeocirculation was sufficient to simultaneously influence transbasinal seawater chemistry. In contrast, the pre-OAE 2 Osi profile for the GVS is disparate to that of the YG and those of the proto-Atlantic and European pelagic shelf locations. We interpret the pre OAE 2 heterogeneous Osi values (0.30–0.95) to record a palaeobasin that was regionally influenced interchangeably by both unradiogenic (hydrothermal flux) and radiogenic (continental flux) Os. We conclude that the Osi profiles from the proto-Pacific sections record both trends that are consistent globally (OAE 2 onset, syn and post OAE 2), but also show regional differences (pre OAE 2) between OAE 2 sections worldwide. As such the Osi profiles coupled with U–Pb geochronology facilitate the correlation of OAE 2 stratigraphy, and demonstrate both regional and global ocean dynamics

Uncertainties in classification system conversion and an analysis of inconsistencies in global land cover products

In this study, using the common classification systems of IGBP-17, IGBP-9, IPCC-5 and TC (vegetation, wetlands and others only), we studied spatial and areal inconsistencies in the three most recent multi-resource land cover products in a complex mountain-oasis-desert system and quantitatively discussed the uncertainties in classification system conversion. This is the first study to compare these products based on terrain and to quantitatively study the uncertainties in classification system conversion. The inconsistencies and uncertainties decreased from high to low levels of aggregation (IGBP-17 to TC) and from mountain to desert areas, indicating that the inconsistencies are not only influenced by the level of thematic detail and landscape complexity but also related to the conversion uncertainties. The overall areal inconsistency in the comparison of the FROM-GLC and GlobCover 2009 datasets is the smallest among the three pairs, but the smallest overall spatial inconsistency was observed between the FROM-GLC and MODISLC. The GlobCover 2009 had the largest conversion uncertainties due to mosaic land cover definition, with values up to 23.9%, 9.68% and 0.11% in mountainous, oasis and desert areas, respectively. The FROM-GLC had the smallest inconsistency, with values less than 4.58%, 1.89% and 1.2% in corresponding areas. Because the FROM-GLC dataset uses a hierarchical classification scheme with explicit attribution from the second level to the first, this system is suggested for producers of map land cover products in the future

SLAng: A language for defining service level agreements

Application or web services are increasingly being used across organisational boundaries. Moreover, new services are being introduced at the network and storage level. Languages to specify interfaces for such services have been researched and transferred into industrial practice. We investigate end-to-end quality of service (QoS) and highlight that QoS provision has multiple facets and requires complex agreements between network services, storage services and middleware services. We introduce SLAng, a language for defining Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that accommodates these needs. We illustrate how SLAng is used to specify QoS in a case study that uses a web services specification to support the processing of images across multiple domains and we evaluate our language based on it

The capital structure of banks and practice of bank restructuring : eight case studies on current bank restructurings in Europe ; final report

This study presents an empirical analysis of capital and liability management in eight cases of bank restructurings and resolutions from eight different European countries. It can be read as a companion piece to an earlier study by the author covering the specific bank restructuring programs of Greece, Spain and Cyprus during 2012/13. The study portrays for each case the timelines between the initial credit event and the (last) restructuring. It proceeds to discuss the capital and liability management activity before restructuring and the restructuring itself, launches an attempt to calibrate the extent of creditor participation as well as expected loss by government, and engages in a counterfactual discussion of what could have been a least cost restructuring approach. Four of the eight cases are resolutions, i.e. the original bank is unwound (Anglo Irish Bank, Amagerbanken, Dexia, Laiki), while the four other banks have de-facto or de-jure become nationalized and are awaiting re-privatization after the restructuring (Deutsche Pfandbriefbank/Hypo Real Estate, Bankia, SNS Reaal, Alpha Bank). The case selection follows considerations of their model character for the European bank restructuring and resolution policy discussion while straddling both the U.S. (2007 - 2010) and the European (2010 - ) legs of the financial crisis, which each saw very different policy responses...