Pragmatic Scenario Research Articles

Efficacy of 8-week daclatasvir-sofosbuvir regimen in chronic hepatitis C: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe high rates of the sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) in real world settings provoked the adoption of shortened courses of the costly direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) regimens. This study provides, to our knowledge, the first systematic review and meta-analysis for the efficacy of the shortened 8-week course of sofosbuvir (SOF) plus daclatasvir (DCV), the most accessible DAAs in the low-middle income countries (LMICs).MethodsWe performed a proportion meta-analysis to determine a reliable rate of SVR12 by pooling all studies that evaluated the results of the 8-week regimen of DCV + SOF. In addition, we applied sensitivity analyses using two imputation paradigms: a conservative approach, and a pragmatic approach to avoid overestimating the efficacy of the 8-week regimen in studies that followed a response-guided treatment (RGT) approach.ResultsSix studies with a total of 159 patients were included. The pooled SVR12 rate ranged from 91 to 97% in the included scenarios. The pragmatic scenario showed that the pooled SVR12 was 97% (95% confidence interval (CI) 91%; 100%) with lower variability as assessed by the prediction interval. The conservative approach revealed an SVR12 of 93% (95% CI 84%; 95%).ConclusionThe 8-week course of 60 mg DCV with SOF provided a comparable SVR12 to the standard 12-week regimen in treatment-naïve, non-HIV co-infected patients with a minimum estimated efficacy of 90%.

Eligibility for omecamtiv mecarbil in a real-world heart failure population: Data from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry.

We assessed eligibility for omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) in a real-world cohort with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) according to the selection criteria of the GALACTIC-HF trial (trial scenario) and selected trial´s criteria more likely to impact real-world use (pragmatic scenario). We included 31,015 patients with HFrEF lasting ≥3 months and registered in the Swedish HF registry between 2000-2021. Trial eligibility was calculated by applying all the GALACTIC-HF selection criteria. The pragmatic scenario considered only the New York Heart Association class, history of worsening HF, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptides (NT-proBNP), blood pressure and renal failure criteria defined as in the trial. Eligibility for OM in chronic HFrEF was 21% and 36% in the trial and pragmatic scenarios, respectively. Eligibility was higher in those with EF<30% (trial: 27%, pragmatic: 44%), in-patients (trial:30%, pragmatic:57%), severe HF (trial: 35%, pragmatic: 60%), NYHA class III-IV (trial: 26%, pragmatic: 45%), and NT-proBNP≥5,000pg/mL (trial: 30%, pragmatic: 51%). The criteria that most limited eligibility were history of a recent worsening HF event (60% eligible in chronic HFrEF), elevated NT-proBNP (82% eligible), and deviating blood pressure (82% eligible). Overall, eligible patients were characterized by more severe HF and higher CV event-rates in both scenarios, and higher comorbidity burden in the pragmatic scenario. Approximately 21% of real-world chronic HFrEF patients would be eligible for OM according to the GALACTIC-HF selection criteria, and 36% according to the criteria more likely to affect OM use in clinical practice. Criteria in both scenarios identified a patient-group with severe HF and high CV event-rates.

Recommendations for Improvements under the United States Current Environmental Law

As the global climate became more and more unpredictable and devastating in the past few decades, the discussion on the avoidance and remediation of climate-related activities was attracted exclusive attention both in the international and national level. As a result, environmental laws and policies were enacted to urge the public as well as governmental officials to both restrict greenhouse gas emission and reduce exploitation and deforestation. This article focuses on identifying the gaps between the environmental laws in United States and international environmental laws or policies, and propose innovative or alternative solutions that the government could adopt in within a pragmatic scenario. More specifically, this article emphasizes on three approaches: climate funds, insurance, and healthcare. The three approaches altogether examine the potential improvements of U.S. environmental laws in the perspectives of economics as well as social security. Therefore, it is determined that the eventual influence on the entire society, if the nation emended the law, would be considered cross-sectionally beneficial.

Eligibility for sotagliflozin in a real-world heart failure population based on the SOLOIST-WHF trial enrolment criteria: data from the Swedish heart failure registry.

The SOLOIST-WHF trial demonstrated efficacy of sotagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and recent worsening heart failure (HF) regardless of ejection fraction (EF). Selection criteria in trials may limit their generalizability. Therefore, we aimed to investigate eligibility for sotagliflozin based on the SOLOIST-WHF criteria in a real-world HF population. SOLOIST-WHF criteria were applied to patients stabilized after HF hospitalization in the Swedish HF Registry according to (i) literal scenario (all inclusion/exclusion criteria) or (ii) pragmatic scenario (only criteria likely to influence treatment decisions). Of 5453 inpatients with T2DM and recent worsening HF, 51.4% had reduced EF (HFrEF), 19.1% mildly reduced (HFmrEF), and 29.5% preserved EF (HFpEF). Eligibility (literal) was: 27.2% (32.4% in HFrEF, 24.7% in HFmrEF, 19.7% in HFpEF) and eligibility (pragmatic) was 62.8% (69.1%, 60.3%, 53.4%, respectively). In the literal scenario, criteria limiting eligibility were HF duration <3 months, eGFR <30ml/min/1.73m2, age >85 years, acute coronary syndrome <3 months, and insufficiently high N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels. Eligible vs. non-eligible patients had more severe HF, higher cardiovascular (CV) comorbidity burden, higher use of HF treatments, and higher event rates (all-cause death 30.8 vs. 27.2 per 100 patient-years, CV death 19.1 vs. 16.6, and HF hospitalization 36.7 vs. 24.0). In this large, real-world HF cohort with T2DM, ∼1/3 of patients were eligible for sotagliflozin in the literal and ∼2/3 of patients in the pragmatic scenario. Eligible patients had more severe HF and higher event rates, in particular CV and HF events.

Eligibility for Dapagliflozin and Empagliflozin in a Real-world Heart Failure Population

BackgroundWe investigated eligibility for dapagliflozin and empagliflozin in a real-world heart failure (HF) cohort based on selection criteria of DAPA-HF (Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure), DELIVER (Dapagliflozin Evaluation to Improve the Lives of Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure), and EMPEROR (Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction and Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure with APreserved Ejection Fraction) trials. Methods and ResultsSelection criteria were applied to the Swedish HF registry outpatient population according to 3 scenarios: (i) a “trial scenario” applying all selection criteria; (ii) a “pragmatic scenario” applying the most clinically relevant criteria; and (iii) a “label scenario” following the regulatory agencies labels. Of the 49,317 patients, 55% had an ejection fraction of less than 40% and were assessed for eligibility based on DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced, 45% had ejection fraction of 40% or greater and were assessed based on EMPEROR-Preserved and DELIVER. Eligibility using trial, pragmatic, and label scenarios was 35%, 61%, and 80% for DAPA-HF; 31%, 55%, and 81% for EMPEROR-Reduced; 30%, 61%, and 74% for DELIVER; and 32%, 59%, and 75% for EMPEROR-Preserved, respectively. The main selection criteria limiting eligibility were HF duration and N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide levels. Eligible patients had more severe HF, more comorbidities, higher use of HF treatments and higher mortality and morbidity.Clinical Highlights: Large clinical trials for the approval of new drugs in heart failure often apply numerous selection criteria, limiting the generalizability of trial findings to real-world populations. We assessed eligibility for dapagliflozin and empagliflozin according to trial criteria, the more practical criteria usually applied in daily practice for treatment selection, and the criteria mandated by regulatory agencies, in a real-word heart failure population. Our results from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry show that a great number of patients with heart failure might be candidates for these therapies, which have been shown to significantly decrease morbidity and mortality; therefore, their use should be implemented in clinical practice.Lay summary: When strictly applying selection criteria used in clinical trials, only one-third of a real-world heart failure population is eligible for treatment with empagliflozin and dapagliflozin. Adopting approaches that consider the most meaningful criteria, that is, those most clinically relevant or those mandated by regulatory agencies, significantly broadened eligibility. These results might contribute to future trial design taking into consideration the characteristics of real-world populations, feasibility, and potential cost benefits. ConclusionsIn a real-world HF setting, eligibility for sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors was similar whether selection criteria from DAPA-HF or EMPEROR-Reduced were applied in HFrEF, or EMPEROR-Preserved or DELIVER in HFpEF. These data might help stakeholders assessing the consequences of future trial eligibility.

Eligibility of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction for sacubitril/valsartan according to the PARAGON-HF trial.

AimsIn the heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) PARAGON‐HF trial, sacubitril/valsartan vs. valsartan improved mortality/morbidity in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below median (57%). We assessed eligibility for sacubitril/valsartan based on four scenarios.Methods and resultsEligibility was assessed in the Karolinska‐Rennes study (acute HFpEF, LVEF ≥ 45%, and N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide ≥300 pg/mL subsequently assessed as outpatients including echocardiography) in (i) a trial scenario (all trial criteria); (ii) a pragmatic scenario (selected trial criteria); (iii) LVEF below lower limit of normal range (<54% in women and <52% in men); and (iv) LVEF below mean of normal range (<64% in women and <62% in men). Among 425 patients [age 78 (72–83) years, 57% women, 28% LVEF ≤ 57% (median in PARAGON‐HF), the trial scenario, identified 34% as eligible. Left atrial enlargement and/or left ventricular hypertrophy were present in 99%. Inclusion criteria not met were diuretic treatment and New York Heart Association class. Important exclusion criteria were estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m2, haemoglobin <10 g/day, and cancer. In the pragmatic scenario, 63% were eligible. In LVEF below lower limit of normal range, 5.4% were eligible, and in LVEF below mean of normal range, 41% were eligible. In patients with LVEF ≤ 57%, eligibility was 42%, 69%, 21%, and 91% according to the trial scenario, pragmatic scenario, LVEF below lower limit of normal range, and LVEF below mean of normal range, respectively.ConclusionsIn real‐world HFpEF (LVEF ≥ 45%) with N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide and cardiac structure/function assessed, eligibility for sacubitril/valsartan was according to PARAGON‐HF complete criteria 34%, pragmatic criteria 63%, LVEF below lower limit of normal range 5.4%, and LVEF below mean of normal range 41%. Cardiac structural impairment was almost ubiquitous. Ineligibility was more due to exclusion criteria than failing to meet inclusion criteria.

Language representation in the Spanish, Italian and French versions of Xiaolu Guo’s A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers: On the translation of ungrammatical idiolect and language-based jokes

AbstractXiaolu Guo’s A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers is a novel in which language has a special protagonism. The main character, Z, is a Chinese girl who goes to London to improve her basic English. Her idiolect is thus characterised by a great quantity of linguistic errors of different types. This lack of proficiency in English makes cross-cultural communication really difficult. Therefore, language becomes in this novel not only a characterisation tool, but also an essential aspect of the plot. Moreover, it is also a paramount source of humour, since there is plenty of jokes based, for instance, on puns, many of which derive from Z’s lack of linguistic competence. The main objective of this paper is to analyse language representation in the source text as well as in the Spanish, Italian and French versions of the novel from the perspective of relevance theory. Out of the three versions, the Spanish one reflects the highest interpretive resemblance in this regard, whereas the Italian one occupies the opposite pole of the scale. With regard to the translation of wordplay, the pragmatic scenario is normally maintained in the TT, although there are statistically significant differences between the three versions and across different types of puns.

Modelling geographical accessibility to urban centres in Kenya in 2019.

BackgroundAccess to major services, often located in urban centres, is key to the realisation of numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Kenya, there are no up-to-date and localised estimates of spatial access to urban centres. We estimate the travel time to urban centres and identify marginalised populations for prioritisation and targeting.MethodsUrban centres were mapped from the 2019 Kenya population census and combined with spatial databases of road networks, elevation, land use and travel barriers within a cost-friction algorithm to compute travel time. Seven travel scenarios were considered: i) walking only (least optimistic), ii) bicycle only, iii) motorcycle only, iv) vehicle only (most optimistic), v) walking followed by motorcycle transport, vi) walking followed by vehicle transport, and vii) walking followed by motorcycle and then vehicle transport (most pragmatic). Mean travel time, and proportion of the population within 1-hour and 2-hours of the urban centres were summarized at sub-national units (counties) used for devolved planning. Inequities were explored and correlations between the proportion of the population within 1-hour of an urban centre and ten SDG indicators were computed.ResultsA total of 307 urban centres were digitised. Nationally, the mean travel time was 4.5-hours for the walking-only scenario, 1.0-hours for the vehicle only (most optimistic) scenario and 1.5-hours for the walking-motorcycle-vehicle (most pragmatic) scenario. Forty-five per cent (21.3 million people) and 87% (41.6 million people) of Kenya’s population resided within 1-hour of the nearest urban centre for the least optimistic and most pragmatic scenarios respectively. Over 3.2 million people were considered marginalised or living outside the 2-hour threshold in the pragmatic scenario, 16.0 million Kenyans for walking only, and 2.2 million for the most optimistic scenario. County-level spatial access was highly heterogeneous ranging between 8%-100% and 32%-100% of people within the 1-hour threshold for the least and most optimistic scenarios, respectively. Counties in northern and eastern parts of Kenya were generally most marginalised. The correlation coefficients for nine SDG indicators ranged between 0.45 to 0.78 and were statistically significant.ConclusionTravel time to urban centres in Kenya is heterogeneous. Therefore, marginalised populations should be prioritised during resource allocation and policies should be formulated to enhance equitable access to public services and opportunities in urban areas.

Consequences of illegal COVID-19 waste scavenging and recycling

and recycling. Nevertheless, many adolescents are also involved in this illicit economy. This is a pragmatic scenario in many developing countries such as Bangladesh . Informal hazardous medical waste including COVID-19 infectious waste scavenging from HCEs, road side bins and waste dump sites are reported on the print and electronic media.

A relevance-theoretic account of translating jokes with sexual innuendos inModern Familyinto Spanish

AbstractThe main purpose of this paper is to analyse jokes containing sexual innuendos in ambiguous utterances from the first two seasons ofModern Familyand their translation into Spanish using relevance theory. More often than not, the ambiguity and sexual innuendos are also reflected in the Spanish versions analysed. Hence, in all those cases, in relevance-theoretical terms, the cognitive effects intended in the source text (ST), including humorous ones, will also be accessible to target text (TT) viewers. It, therefore, follows that the pragmatic scenario is preserved in the TT, sometimes at the expense of a sacrifice in the semantic scenario. In audio-visual texts, ambiguity may also impact the visual channel. Although in some cases the visual component may render the translator’s task difficult, in others it may act as an aid to both the translator and TT viewer, contributing to the yielding of humorous effects.

Game Theory Analysis and Modeling of Sophisticated Multi-Collusion Attack in MANETs

Mobile Adhoc Network (MANET) has been a core topic of research since the last decade. Currently, this form of networking paradigm is increasingly being construed as an integral part of upcoming urban applications of Internet-of-Things (IoT), consisting of massive connectivity of diverse types of nodes. There is a significant barrier to the applicability of existing routing approaches in conventional MANETs when integrated with IoT. This routing mismatch can lead to security risks for the MANET-based application tied with the IoT platform. This paper examines a pragmatic scenario as a test case wherein the mobile nodes must exchange multimedia signals for supporting real-time streaming applications. There exist two essential security requirements viz. i) securing the data packet and ii) understanding the unpredictable behavior of the attacker. The current study considers sophistication on the part of attacker nodes. They are aware of each other’s identity and thereby collude to conduct lethal attacks, which is rarely reflected in existing security modeling statistics. This research harnesses the potential modeling aspect of game theory to model the multiple-collusion attacker scenario. It contributes towards i) modeling strategies of regular/malicious nodes and ii) applying optimization principle using novel auxiliary information to formulate the optimal strategies. The model advances each regular node’s capability to carry out precise computation about the opponent player’s strategy prediction, i.e., malicious node. The simulation outcome of the proposed mathematical model in MATLAB ascertains that it outperforms the game theory’s baseline approach.

Eligibility for sacubitril/valsartan in heart failure across the ejection fraction spectrum: real-world data from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry.

BackgroundRandomized controlled trials (RCT) generalizability may be limited due to strict patient selection.ObjectiveIn a real‐world heart failure (HF) population, we assessed eligibility for sacubitril/valsartan based on PARADIGM‐HF (sacubitril/valsartan effective)/PARAGON‐HF [sacubitril/valsartan effective in mildly reduced ejection fraction (EF)].MethodsOutpatients from the Swedish HF Registry (SwedeHF) were analysed. In SwedeHF, EF is recorded as <30, 30–39, 40–49 and ≥50%. In PARAGON‐HF, sacubitril/valsartan was effective with EF ≤ 57% (i.e. median). We defined reduced EF/PARADIGM‐HF as EF < 40%, mildly reduced EF/PARAGON‐HF ≤ median as EF 40–49%, and normal EF/PARAGON‐HF > median as EF ≥ 50%. We assessed 2 scenarios: (i) criteria likely to influence treatment decisions (pragmatic scenario); (ii) all criteria (literal scenario).ResultsOf 37 790 outpatients, 57% had EF < 40%, 24% EF 40–49% and 19% EF ≥ 50%. In the pragmatic scenario, 63% were eligible in EF < 50% (67% for EF < 40% and 52% for 40–49%) and 52% in EF ≥ 40% (52% for EF ≥ 50%). For the literal scenario, 32% were eligible in EF < 50% (38% of EF < 40%, 20% of EF 40–49%) and 22% in EF ≥ 40% (25% for EF ≥ 50%). Eligible vs. noneligible patients had more severe HF, more comorbidities and overall worse outcomes.ConclusionIn a real‐world HF outpatient cohort, 81% of patients had EF < 50%, with 63% eligible for sacubitril/valsartan based on pragmatic criteria and 32% eligible based on literal trial criteria. Similar eligibility was observed for EF 40–49% and ≥50%, suggesting that our estimates for EF < 50% may be reproduced whether or not a higher cut‐off for EF is considered.

Managing Uncertainties Due to Limited Evidence in Economic Evaluations of Novel Anti-Tuberculosis Regimens: A Systematic Review

BackgroundLimited evidence for the implementation of new health technologies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) may lead to uncertainties in economic evaluations and cause the evaluations to produce inaccurate information for decision making. We performed a systematic review of economic evaluations on implementing new short-course regimens (SCR) for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), to explore how uncertainties due to the limited evidence in the studies were dealt with and to identify useful information for decision making from these studies.MethodsWe searched in electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, NHSEED, and CEA registry for economic evaluations addressing the implementation of new anti-TB SCRs in LMICs published until September 2018. We included studies addressing both the cost and outcomes of implementing a new regimen for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB with a shorter treatment duration than the currently used regimens. The quality of the included studies was assessed using The Consensus Health Economic Criteria checklist. We extracted information from the included studies on uncertainties and how they were managed. The management of uncertainties was compared with approaches used in early health technology assessments (HTAs), including sensitivity analyses and pragmatic scenario analyses. We extracted information that could be useful for decision making such as cost-effectiveness conclusions, and barriers to implementing the intervention.ResultsFour of the 322 studies found in the search met the eligibility criteria. Three studies were model-based studies that investigated the cost effectiveness of a new first-line SCR. One study was an empirical study investigating the cost effectiveness of new regimens for drug-resistant TB. The model-based studies addressed uncertainties due to limited evidence through various sensitivity analyses as in early HTAs. They performed a deterministic sensitivity analysis and found the main drivers of the cost-effectiveness outcomes, that is, the rate of treatment default and treatment delivery costs. Additionally, two of the model-based studies performed a pragmatic scenario analysis and found a potential barrier to implementing the new first-line SCR, that is, a weak health system with a low TB care utilization rate. The empirical study only performed a few scenario analyses with different regimen prices and volumes of TB care utilization. Therefore, the study could only provide information on the main cost drivers.ConclusionUsing an approach similar to that used in early HTAs, where uncertainties due to the limited evidence are rigorously explored upfront, the economic evaluations could inform not only the decision to implement the intervention but also how to manage risks and implementation barriers.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s41669-019-0162-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Commercial Correspondence: Pragmatics, Semantics, Syntax

This article is devoted to analysis of specific features of contemporary Russian business correspondence. The functioning of commercial letter texts used in practice of verbal communication between business partners and verbal situation of organization of business correspondence examines in present text as a process formed in occasion with existed tradition of contacts in commercial sphere and in the same time in context of contemporary tendencies of liberal and democratic discourse of social communication. Practice of interpretation the text of business letter, different semantic aspects of this text, under-textual content of information transcended in written form is studying in concrete context of verbal communication. Positioning of participants of communication, constructed between them communicative distance and used by them verbal tactics connected with business ethic are examining in paper in quality of forms of verbal activity. Using in paper method of conceptual analysis of semantic features of business letters gives possibility not only to understand content and to make evaluation of text but also to determine mostly successful strategy of verbal contact (framing) with objective of achievement practically important and scientifically based results. Business correspondence is studied in paper as a conceptual product with all framing features and particularly by determined pragmatic scenario.

Consumer Response to a National Marketplace for Individual Health Insurance

The objective of this analysis is to simulate the difference between national and state-specific individual insurance markets on take-up of individual health insurance. This simulation analysis was completed in three steps. First, we reviewed the literature to characterize the state-specific individ ual insurance markets with respect to state regulations and to identify the effect of those regulations on health insurance premiums. Second, we used empirical data to develop premium estimates for the simulation that reflect case-mix as well as state-specific differences in health care markets. Third, we used a revised version of the 2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to complete a set of simulations to identify the impact of three differ ent scenarios for national market development. (National market estimates are based on the simulation model with competition among all 50 states and moderate impact assumptions.) We find evidence of a significant op portunity to reduce the number of uninsured under a proposal to allow the purchase of health insurance across state lines. The best scenario to reduce the uninsured, numerically, is competition among all 50 states with one clear winner. The most pragmatic scenario, with a good impact, is one winner in each regional market.

Building Edge-Failure Resilient Networks

We consider the design of resilient networks that are fault tolerant against link failures. Resilience against link failures can be built into the network by providing backup paths, which are used in the eventuality of an edge failure occurring on a primary path in the network. We consider several network design problems in this context; these problems are motivated by the requirements of current high-speed optical networks. In all the following problems the objective is to provide resilience in networks while minimizing the cost incurred. The main problem under consideration in this paper is that of backup allocation: this problem takes as its input an already provisioned primary network and a parameter k, and allocates backup capacity on the edges of the underlying network so that all the demand can be routed even in the presence of k edge failures. We also consider a variant of this problem where the primary network has a tree topology, and it is required that the restored network retains a tree topology. We then address the problem of simultaneous primary and backup allocation: we are given specifications of the traffic to be handled, and the goal is to provision both the primary as well as the backup network. Finally, we investigate a single-commodity problem motivated by a pragmatic scenario in which the primary network is not known in advance and demands between source--sink pairs arrive online.

Blind Identification of Out-of-Cell Users in DS-CDMA

In the context of multiuser detection for the DS-CDMA uplink, out-of-cell interference is usually treated as Gaussian noise, possibly mitigated by overlaying a long random cell code on top of symbol spreading. Different cells use statistically independent long codes, thereby providing means for statistical out-of-cell interference suppression. When the total number of (in-cell plus out-of-cell) users is less than the spreading gain, subspace identification techniques are applicable. If the base station is equipped with multiple antennas, then completely blind identification is possible via three-dimensional low-rank decomposition. This works with more users than spreading and antennas, but a purely algebraic solution is missing. In this paper, we develop an algebraic solution under the premise that the codes of the in-cell users are known. The codes of out-of-cell users and all array steering vectors are unknown. In this pragmatic scenario, we show that in addition to algebraic solution, better identifiability is possible. Our approach yields the best known identifiability result for three-dimensional low-rank decomposition when one of the three component matrices is partially known, albeit noninvertible. Simulations show that the proposed identification algorithm remains close to the pertinent asymptotic (symbol-independent) Cramer-Rao bound, which is also derived herein.

Au-delà de Kyoto : enjeux d'équité et d'efficacité dans la négociation sur le changement climatique

Beyond Kyoto: Issues of Equity and Efficiency in Climate Change Negotiations by Odile Blanchard, Patrick Criqui, Michel Trommetter and Laurent Viguier This paper develops some basic methodological principles which can be used to study two questions: firstly, equitable methods of integrating developing countries into a long-term global programme to limit growth in greenhouse gas emissions, and, secondly, the contribution, in terms of economic efficiency, of tradable emission-permit systems. With regard to the first question, it turns out that no operative rule of differentiation or single principle of equity seems able to obtain the approval of all countries in so far as their interests remain structurally different. We have therefore constructed a simple and pragmatic scenario of CO2 emission stabilisation by 2030 and then shown that it could lead to a relative convergence of laws and a greater regard for democratic equality. In terms of efficiency, the findings emphasise the benefit of introducing a market for tradable emission permits, since this would make it possible to restore ex post facto the efficiency which had not existed a priori in the initial distribution of rights. The utilitarian concept of equity would also be respected in this case.