High-level grid application environment to use legacy codes as OGSA grid services

One of the biggest obstacles in the wide-spread industrial take-up of Grid technology is the existence of a large amount of legacy code that is not accessible as Grid services. The paper describes a new approach (GEMLCA: Grid Execution Management for Legacy Code Architecture) to deploy legacy codes as Grid services without modifying the original code. Moreover, we show a workflow execution oriented Grid portal technology (P-GRADE portal) by which such legacy code based Grid services can be applied in complex business processes. GEMLCA has been implemented as GT-3 services but can be easily ported into the new WSRF Grid standards

Microsecond folding dynamics of the F13W G29A mutant of the B domain of staphylococcal protein A by laser-induced temperature jump

The small size (58 residues) and simple structure of the B domain of staphylococcal protein A (BdpA) have led to this domain being a paradigm for theoretical studies of folding. Experimental studies of the folding of BdpA have been limited by the rapidity of its folding kinetics. We report the folding kinetics of a fluorescent mutant of BdpA (G29A F13W), named F13W*, using nanosecond laser-induced temperature jump experiments. Automation of the apparatus has permitted large data sets to be acquired that provide excellent signal-to-noise ratio over a wide range of experimental conditions. By measuring the temperature and denaturant dependence of equilibrium and kinetic data for F13W*, we show that thermodynamic modeling of multidimensional equilibrium and kinetic surfaces is a robust method that allows reliable extrapolation of rate constants to regions of the folding landscape not directly accessible experimentally. The results reveal that F13W* is the fastest-folding protein of its size studied to date, with a maximum folding rate constant at 0 M guanidinium chloride and 45°C of 249,000 (s-1). Assuming the single-exponential kinetics represent barrier-limited folding, these data limit the value for the preexponential factor for folding of this protein to at least ≈2 x 10(6) s(-1)

Strategic Corporate Finance

This textbook is called Strategic Corporate Finance because it includes not only the theory and key areas of corporate finance and the range of techniques that may be used and applied in practice, but also the appropriate financial strategies that may be adopted in order to optimise the use of the scarce resource of money (or cash flow). One of the main objectives in writing this book was to produce a clear and user-friendly text, which embraces both the core principles and practice of corporate finance and also financial strategy. The text comprises 18 chapters, and is structured into two parts: corporate finance, and financial strategy. Key Features include: Step-by-step Worked Examples in every chapter, which apply the appropriate techniques to deal with specific business problems; extensive diagrams and charts are used to reinforce learning. Comprehensive Progress Checks in every chapter facilitate effective learning and provide frequent reinforcement. 6 Case Studies illustrate strategic corporate finance issues in practice, providing the opportunity to apply and develop the techniques, analytical skills and judgement acquired from working through each chapter. A range of about 15 to 20 graded Exercises, Questions and Discussion Points per chapter link theory with business practice and encourage the use of the techniques and learning points covered in each chapter. Press Extracts offer insights into real-life business scenarios and include companies such as BSkyB, Marks & Spencer, Umbro, Matalan and Samsung, and provide further links between theory and practice. A comprehensive Glossary of Financial Terminology with easy reference to when each key term is first used in the book

The changing structure of accounting standard setting in the UK A critical social analysis

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:9349.439(97/1) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo