Identification requirements and policy in alternative remittance : a measure of legislative adherence

Money laundering is a persistent threat to the economic viability of every nation. However the intent behind this behaviour does not always converge with the criminality of the act. A study of 395 international university students in Australia demonstrated a prominent cultural and regional norm in South Asia to use untraceable ‘informal’ remittance systems. Under Australian legislation, the use of a non-compliant alternative or informal value transfer system (IVTS) is an act that predicates the laundering of money regardless of intent. Yet in line with a clear cultural proclivity and trust in money transfer businesses, it is evident that many ordinary people still use these systems everyday alongside criminals and terrorists.The data in this study highlights a trend of willingness in remittance staff to accept student identification as valid identification for an international money transfer. The international anti-money laundering regime is a broad-scope, top-down system, which recommends a standard format of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) regulation for all at-risk sectors of a national economy. However, the abuse of globally recognised monetary transfer systems is symptomatic of the flaws in this broad approach. Australia’s Financial Intelligence Unit AUSTRAC has recognised the need for less restrictive regulation of alternative remittance business. Despite this fact, the regulation of the Australian alternative remittance sector has failed to account for the environmental, cultural, and informal heritage impact factors in this process, which has reduced the efficacy of Australia’s AML/CTF programme. A second data set suggests that regulatory inadequacies extend beyond the border, to alternative and informal systems which regularly send untraceable money to and from Australia uninhibited. The findings of this research conclude that there are eight barriers which inhibit AML/CTF compliance in alternative remittance businesses. These barriers range from cultural, environmental, and trust based networks, to commercial and regulatory opportunism

Margin Variance Analysis for Informing Customer Engagement Strategy

A margin variance analysis measures the sources of difference in gross margins between pieces of business within a larger set of business. When the piece of business is defined as the the total sales to an individual customer over a period of time, sales and marketing managers can use this analysis to define customer specific engagement strategies to improve customer profitability. In this paper, we clarify how customer engagement strategies can be driven by a margin variance analysis, provide derivations of two equally-valid forms of a simple customer margin variance analysis, and demonstrate the margin variance analysis and the development of customer-specific engagement strategies with a case study example

Human Lung Tryptase Purification and Characterization

Human lung tryptase (HLT), a mast cell derived trypsin-like enzyme, was isolated from whole human lung tissue obtained at autopsy. Increased yields from this purification process allowed extensive characterization of the enzyme. One of the critical steps in the purification scheme was the use of a linear heparin gradient to elute active material from cellulose phosphate. Gel filtration studies in 1.0 M NaCl yielded an apparent M(,r) of 135,000, and subsequent electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels demonstrated the presence of two active species with apparent M(,r) = 30,900 and 31,600. Enzymatic activity was sensitive to NaCl concentrations above 0.05 M and was only 50% in 0.15 M NaCl, decreasing to 18% in 0.6 M NaCl. The effects of synthetic and natural inhibitors were studied, confirming the enzyme\u27s trypsin-like characteristics and demonstrating that naturally occurring serum inhibitors are incapable of diminishing its activity. A complete amino acid analysis showed a high tryptophan content. Antisera to human lung tryptase was generated, and the immunological identity of active fractions was investigated. The stability of HLT in various buffer systems was extensively studied, and 10 mM MES buffer, pH 6.1 appeared to provide the best conditions during extended storage and purification. The effect of heparin on the enzyme\u27s activity using the synthetic substrates Z-Lys-SBzl was studied, and heparin concentrations of 10 micromolar stabilized HLT and allowed full expression of activity even at low ionic strengths. In the presence of heparin the enzyme retained full activity after 24 hours at 37(DEGREES)C, whereas in the absence of heparin, activity was lost after 30 min at this temperature. Heparin had a similar effect on HLT\u27s ability to cleave natural substrates such as fibronectin. Assays comparing the activity of HLT on the substrates Z-Lys-SBzl and Z-Arg-SBzl were performed. The K(,m) and V(,max) of HLT for the above substrates were determined. The substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-p-guanidinobenzoate (MUG-B) has been used to perform an active site titration on HLT, and a k(,cat) of 610/sec was calculated for the substrate Z-Arg-SBzl

Contribution of Xenopus model to a better understanding of cardiac outflow tract

Contribution of Xenopus model to a better understanding of cardiac outflow tract. A Torres-Prioris 1, SJ Smith 2, TJ Mohun 2, B Fernández 1, AC Durán 1. 1 Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, and Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), University of Málaga, Spain. 2 Developmental Biology Division, The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, London, UK. The morphology and morphogenesis of the cardiac outflow tract is a major topic in the study of the vertebrate circulatory system, especially regarding the pathologies affecting this region in humans. Recent studies have demonstrated that, in fish, the cardiac outflow tract consists of a myocardial conus arteriosus and a nonmyocardial bulbus arteriosus. Moreover, the bulbus arteriosus of fish has been considered homologous to the intrapericardial base of the aortic and pulmonary trunks of birds and mammals. Under this perspective, we have conducted a study on the outflow tract of Xenopus laevis, using histological, immunohistochemical and 3D reconstruction techniques. It has been assumed that the outflow tract of Xenopus, which is intercalated between the ventricle and the great arterial trunks, is of myocardial nature. At its luminal side, it contains two sets of valves between which the so-called spiral valve lies. Our results demonstrate that, together with a proximal myocardial segment, a distal, nonmyocardial, intrapericardial segment is also present in amphibians. We propose that this distal segment, from which the pulmocutaneous and systemic arteries arise, is homologous to the bulbus arteriosus of fish. Therefore, the bulbus arteriosus is an evolutionarily conserved structure, which has become the aortic and pulmonary roots of birds and mammals. Our findings contribute to strengthening Xenopus as a good model to better understand the outflow tract morphology and evolution, and as an emerging model for studying human congenital heart diseases. This work was supported by CGL2010-16417, BES-2011-046901, Estancias Breves para FPI (2012, 2013) and FEDER funds.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. CGL2010-16417, BES-2011-046901, Estancias Breves para FPI (2012, 2013), FEDER funds

Isostaticity of Constraints in Jammed Systems of Soft Frictionless Platonic Solids

The average number of constraints per particle $$ in mechanically stable systems of Platonic solids (except cubes) approaches the isostatic limit at the jamming point ($\rightarrow 12$), though average number of contacts are hypostatic. By introducing angular alignment metrics to classify the degree of constraint imposed by each contact, constraints are shown to arise as a direct result of local orientational order reflected in edge-face and face-face alignment angle distributions. With approximately one face-face contact per particle at jamming chain-like face-face clusters with finite extent form in these systems.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 4 tabl

Extragalactic Zeeman Detections in OH Megamasers

We have measured the Zeeman splitting of OH megamaser emission at 1667 MHz from five (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies ([U]LIRGs) using the 305 m Arecibo telescope and the 100 m Green Bank Telescope. Five of eight targeted galaxies show significant Zeeman-splitting detections, with 14 individual masing components detected and line-of-sight magnetic field strengths ranging from ~0.5-18 mG. The detected field strengths are similar to those measured in Galactic OH masers, suggesting that the local process of massive star formation occurs under similar conditions in (U)LIRGs and the Galaxy, in spite of the vastly different large-scale environments. Our measured field strengths are also similar to magnetic field strengths in (U)LIRGs inferred from synchrotron observations, implying that milligauss magnetic fields likely pervade most phases of the interstellar medium in (U)LIRGs. These results provide a promising new tool for probing the astrophysics of distant galaxies.Comment: 32 pages, 14 figures, 8 tables. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal v680n2, June 20, 2008; corrected 2 typo

Mechanical Demands of the Hang Power Clean and Jump Shrug: A Joint-level Perspective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the joint- and load-dependent changes in the mechanical demands of the lower extremity joints during the hang power clean (HPC) and the jump shrug (JS). Fifteen male lacrosse players were recruited from an NCAA DI team, and completed three sets of the HPC and JS at 30%, 50%, and 70% of their HPC 1-Repetition Maximum (1-RM HPC) in a counterbalanced and randomized order. Motion analysis and force plate technology were used to calculate the positive work, propulsive phase duration, and peak concentric power at the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Separate three-way analysis of variances were used to determine the interaction and main effects of joint, load, and lift type on the three dependent variables. The results indicated that the mechanics during the HPC and JS exhibit joint-, load-, and lift-dependent behavior. When averaged across joints, the positive work during both lifts increased progressively with external load, but was greater during the JS at 30% and 50% of 1-RM HPC than during the HPC. The JS was also characterized by greater hip and knee work when averaged across loads. The joint-averaged propulsive phase duration was lower at 30% than at 50% and 70% of 1-RM HPC for both lifts. Furthermore, the load-averaged propulsive phase duration was greater for the hip than the knee and ankle joint. The jointaveraged peak concentric power was the greatest at 70% of 1-RM for the HPC and at 30% to 50% of 1-RM for the JS. In addition, the joint-averaged peak concentric power of the JS was greater than that of the HPC. Furthermore, the load-averaged peak knee and ankle concentric joint powers were greater during the execution of the JS than the HPC. However, the loadaveraged power of all joints differed only during the HPC, but was similar between the hip and knee joints for the JS. Collectively, these results indicate that compared to the HPC the JS is characterized by greater hip and knee positive joint work, and greater knee and ankle peak concentric joint power, especially if performed at 30 and 50% of 1-RM HPC. This study provides important novel information about the mechanical demands of two commonly used exercises and should be considered in the design of resistance training programs that aim to improve the explosiveness of the lower extremity joints

Motion picture analysis of hard contact lens fitting

Various hard contact lens fitting techniques were filmed in color and analyzed. The topics studied were the following: l. changes in Base Curve (BC) with all other parameters held constant, 2. changes in Overall Diameter (OAD) with all other parameters held constant, 3. changes in Optic Zone Diameter (OZD) with all other parameters held constant, 4. effect on tear fluid exchange when the Peripheral Curve Radius (PCR) is widened, 5. the observation of the fluorescein pattern on a highly toric cornea. This film is to be used as an instructional aid for second ·\u27 year contact lens students at Pacific University College of Optometry

Relationship Between Unusual High-Temperature Fatigue Crack Growth Threshold Behavior in Superalloys and Sudden Failure Mode Transitions

An investigation of high temperature cyclic fatigue crack growth (FCG) threshold behavior of two advanced nickel disk alloys was conducted. The focus of the study was the unusual crossover effect in the near-threshold region of these type of alloys where conditions which produce higher crack growth rates in the Paris regime, produce higher resistance to crack growth in the near threshold regime. It was shown that this crossover effect is associated with a sudden change in the fatigue failure mode from a predominant transgranular mode in the Paris regime to fully intergranular mode in the threshold fatigue crack growth region. This type of a sudden change in the fracture mechanisms has not been previously reported and is surprising considering that intergranular failure is typically associated with faster crack growth rates and not the slow FCG rates of the near-threshold regime. By characterizing this behavior as a function of test temperature, environment and cyclic frequency, it was determined that both the crossover effect and the onset of intergranular failure are caused by environmentally driven mechanisms which have not as yet been fully identified. A plausible explanation for the observed behavior is proposed