Lessons from International Central Counterparties: Benchmarking and Analysis

Since the financial crisis, attention has focused on central counterparties (CCPs) as a solution to systemic risk for a variety of financial markets, ranging from repurchase agreements and options to swaps. However, internationally accepted standards and the academic literature have left unanswered many practical questions related to the design of CCPs. The author analyzes the inherent trade]offs and resulting international benchmarks for a certain set of issues. Four CCPs - FINet, CME Clearing, Eurex Clearing and LCH.Clearnet - are considered in terms of risk management, CCP links, governance and operational risk.Financial system regulation and policies; Financial stability; Payment, clearing, and settlement systems; Financial markets

Han Kim and State Accountability for Torture and Unlawful Killing

This note assesses the implications of the D.C. Circuit Court case of Han Kim v. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in which the court found the North Korean state responsible for the torture and unlawful killing of Kim Dong Shik, a South Korean missionary who was abducted by the North Korean government while in China. In particular, this note shows how the judgment breaks new ground by holding a state responsible for torture and unlawful killing based solely on general evidence of that country’s human rights practices, without additional information about the fate of the victim himself. This note also discusses this case’s implications for the plaintiffs themselves, and for other victims of North Korean human rights abuses

An Ac/Ds-mediated gene trap system for functional genomics in barley

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene trapping is a powerful tool for gene discovery and functional genomics in both animals and plants. Upon insertion of the gene trap construct into an expressed gene, splice donor and acceptor sites facilitate the generation of transcriptional fusions between the flanking sequence and the reporter. Consequently, detection of reporter gene expression allows the identification of genes based on their expression pattern. Up to now rice is the only cereal crop for which gene trap approaches exist. In this study we describe a gene trap system in barley (<it>Hordeum vulgare </it>L.) based on the maize transposable elements <it>Ac/Ds</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We generated gene trap barley lines by crossing <it>Ac </it>transposase expressing plants with multiple independent transformants carrying the <it>Ds </it>based gene trap construct GT<it>Ds</it>B. Upstream of the β-Glucuronidase start codon GT<it>Ds</it>B carries splice donor and acceptor sites optimized for monocotyledonous plants. DNA blot analysis revealed GT<it>Ds</it>B transposition frequencies of 11% and 26% in the F₁and F₂generation of gene trap lines and perpetuation of transposition activity in later generations. Furthermore, analysis of sequences flanking transposed GT<it>Ds</it>B elements evidenced preferential insertion into expressed regions of the barley genome. We screened leaves, nodes, immature florets, pollinated florets, immature grains and seedlings of F₂plants and detected GUS expression in 51% (72/141) of the plants. Thus, reporter gene expression was found in 24 of the 28 F₁lines tested and in progeny of all GT<it>Ds</it>B parental lines.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Due to the frequent transposition of GT<it>Ds</it>B and the efficient expression of the GUS reporter gene, we conclude that this <it>Ac/Ds</it>-based gene trap system is an applicable approach for gene discovery in barley. The successful introduction of a gene trap construct optimized for monocots in barley contributes a novel functional genomics tool for this cereal crop.</p

Vector magnetometer design study: Analysis of a triaxial fluxgate sensor design demonstrates that all MAGSAT Vector Magnetometer specifications can be met

The design of the vector magnetometer selected for analysis is capable of exceeding the required accuracy of 5 gamma per vector field component. The principal elements that assure this performance level are very low power dissipation triaxial feedback coils surrounding ring core flux-gates and temperature control of the critical components of two-loop feedback electronics. An analysis of the calibration problem points to the need for improved test facilities