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Data quality and data resolution are essential for computer vision tasks like medical image processing, object detection, pattern recognition and so on. Super-resolution is a way to increase the image resolution, and super-resolved images contain more information compared to their low-resolution counterparts. The purpose of this study is analyzing the effects of the super resolution models trained before on object detection for aerial images.

Two different models were trained using the Super-Resolution Generative Adversarial Network (SRGAN) architecture on two aerial image data sets, the xView and the Dataset for Object deTection in Aerial images (DOTA). This study uses these models to increase the resolution of aerial images for improving object detection performance. This study analyzes the effects of the model with the best perceptual index (PI) and the model with the best RMSE on object detection in detail.

Super-resolution increases the object detection quality as expected. But, the super-resolution model with better perceptual quality achieves lower mean average precision results compared to the model with better RMSE. It means that the model with a better PI is more meaningful to human perception but less meaningful to computer vision.

The contributions of the authors to the literature are threefold. First, they do a wide analysis of SRGAN results for aerial image super-resolution on the task of object detection. Second, they compare super-resolution models with best PI and best RMSE to showcase the differences on object detection performance as a downstream task first time in the literature. Finally, they use a transfer learning approach for super-resolution to improve the performance of object detection.

Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way of using the law in specific circumstances, and shows the variations therein. Sums up that arbitration is much the better way to gok as it avoids delays and expenses, plus the vexation/frustration of normal litigation. Concludes that the US and Greek constitutions and common law tradition in England appear to allow involved parties to choose their own judge, who can thus be an arbitrator. Discusses e‐commerce and speculates on this for the future.

The paper aims to examine significant developments in the institutional framework for dispute resolution in the Islamic finance industry in Malaysia. Malaysia, as part of its efforts to consolidate its enviable Islamic finance industry, has strengthened its institutional framework for dispute resolution.

Data for this study were collected from both primary and secondary legal sources. Through a conceptual legal analysis, the institutional frameworks of dispute resolution in the Malaysia’s Islamic finance industry are studied.

The study finds that Malaysia is far ahead of other jurisdictions by a significant margin in spearheading reforms in the emerging global Islamic finance industry. The dispute resolution framework has been largely affected by the recent reforms.

Other jurisdictions may borrow a leaf from Malaysia’s initiative in providing a robust legal framework for dispute management in the Islamic finance industry.

Apart from adopting Malaysia’s framework and possibly adapting it to suit their specific local variations, other jurisdictions may also encourage Islamic financial institutions to incorporate effective dispute resolution processes in Islamic finance contracts.

This study critically discussed most recent developments in the institutional framework on dispute resolution in the Islamic finance industry in Malaysia.

This paper aims to discuss the European Commission’s proposal for a central counterparty (CCP) recovery and resolution regulation. In this respect, the paper comments the consequences, risks and attention points for CCPs and their authorities.

This paper focuses on the proposed rules surrounding CCP recovery and resolution. The paper first familiarizes the reader with the risk management procedures currently obliged before discussing the resolution and recovery provisions foreseen in the proposal.

The proposed regulation commands significant requirements for CCPs and for their regulators. Not only will CCPs have to draft a recovery plan but also a resolution authority will need to be assigned. The latter will have the task, in consultation with a resolution college, to draft a resolution plan. When a resolution is inevitable, authorities will need to assure the continuation of the CCP’s critical functions, thereby warranting financial stability and investor protection.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, there are no other papers that provide a holistic overview of the newly proposed regulation and describe the choices to be made during a CCP’s resolution. This paper will be of interest to all CCPs and their stakeholders, such as their regulators, clearing members and their clients and other linked financial market infrastructures.

The problems of Super resolution are broadly discussed in diverse fields. Rather than the progression toward the super resolution models for real-time images, operating hyperspectral images still remains a challenging problem.

This paper aims to develop the enhanced image super-resolution model using “optimized Non-negative Structured Sparse Representation (NSSR), Adaptive Discrete Wavelet Transform (ADWT), and Optimized Deep Convolutional Neural Network”. Once after converting the HR images into LR images, the NSSR images are generated by the optimized NSSR. Then the ADWT is used for generating the subbands of both NSSR and HRSB images. The residual image with this information is obtained by the optimized Deep CNN. All the improvements on the algorithms are done by the Opposition-based Barnacles Mating Optimization (O-BMO), with the objective of attaining the multi-objective function concerning the “Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), and Structural similarity (SSIM) index”. Extensive analysis on benchmark hyperspectral image datasets shows that the proposed model achieves superior performance over typical other existing super-resolution models.

From the analysis, the overall analysis of the suggested and the conventional super resolution models relies that the PSNR of the improved O-BMO-(NSSR+DWT+CNN) was 38.8% better than bicubic, 11% better than NSSR, 16.7% better than DWT+CNN, 1.3% better than NSSR+DWT+CNN, and 0.5% better than NSSR+FF-SHO-(DWT+CNN). Hence, it has been confirmed that the developed O-BMO-(NSSR+DWT+CNN) is performing well in converting LR images to HR images.

This paper adopts a latest optimization algorithm called O-BMO with optimized Non-negative Structured Sparse Representation (NSSR), Adaptive Discrete Wavelet Transform (ADWT) and Optimized Deep Convolutional Neural Network for developing the enhanced image super-resolution model. This is the first work that uses O-BMO-based Deep CNN for image super-resolution model enhancement.

This paper aims to analyze conflict resolution practice in public procurement. The specific feature of this sphere is the presence of the state and the resulting differences in assessing the chances of protecting one’s interests in court, as well as the effectiveness of judicial conflict resolution mechanisms.

This paper is based on the findings of a large-scale survey of suppliers conducted in 2017. To identify the characteristics of suppliers that use different conflict resolution mechanisms, probit-models were evaluated. For robustness check, combined mechanisms for resolving conflict situations were also considered and multi-nomial logistic regression was used.

The survey results showed that the majority of suppliers prefer to resolve conflicts in public procurement using an out-of-court negotiation with procurers while only 31% of respondents resort to judicial proceedings. At the same time, suppliers potentially involved in informal relations with procurers, are less likely to go to court and less often use negotiations.

The results of the study can be used as a justification for the development of a regulatory and organizational framework for the use of negotiations, mediation, arbitration and other alternate methods of conflict resolution in public procurement.

This paper makes an important contribution to the conflict-handling strategies of businesses and government by presenting for the first time a quantitative assessment of the prevalence of mechanisms for resolving conflicts in public procurement and factors influencing the choice of a conflict resolution mechanism.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how national culture and proximity to national borders can influence the conflict styles that co‐workers use between themselves.

In this experiment, samples were drawn from regions near the US Mexican border further north in the USA and further South in Mexico. Total n=549. Participants were presented with different conflict styles of co‐workers and asked how they would respond. A new measure of national origin was developed and used to assess affinity with a particular culture based on familial lineage.

This study shows that conflict resolution styles of co‐workers in the USA are different from those in Mexico. Culture also moderates the relationship among the conflict resolution styles of the co‐workers themselves. Mexicans were generally more contending and less yielding to co‐workers than Americans. However, Mexicans were also more likely than Americans to respond to contending co‐workers by accommodating or by compromising with the co‐worker. National Origin and border location influenced choice of conflict resolution styles in both American and Mexican workers.

Proximity to national borders can influence degrees of cultural identity, which can in turn, influence preferred conflict styles. Degrees of national cultural identity can be measured using familial lineage.

Satellite-based weather index insurance has recently been considered in order to reduce the high basis risk of station-based weather index insurance. However, the use of satellite data with a relatively low spatial resolution has not yet made it possible to determine the satellite indices free of disturbing landscape elements such as mountains, forests and lakes.

In this context, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used based on both Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (250 × 250 m) and high-resolution Landsat 5/8 (30 × 30 m) images to investigate the effect of a higher spatial resolution of satellite-based weather index contracts for hedging winter wheat yields. For three farms in north-east Germany, insurance contracts both at field and farm level were designed.

The results indicate that with an increasing spatial resolution of satellite data, the basis risk of satellite-based weather index insurance contracts can be reduced. However, the results also show that the design of NDVI-based insurance contracts at farm level also reduces the basis risk compared to field level. The study shows that higher-resolution satellite data are advantageous, whereas satellite indices at field level do not reduce the basis risk.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, the effect of increasing spatial resolution of satellite images for satellite-based weather index insurance is investigated for the first time at the field level compared to the farm level.

The purpose of this research is to discover the behavior of dispute resolution in the Malaysian construction industry by analyzing factors that affect the selection of dispute resolution methods using factor analysis approach.

Preliminary interviews and a questionnaire survey were conducted. Dispute resolution methods were grouped and discussed together, based on the similarity of their characteristics, and used for the questionnaire survey. This research approach is different from the earlier studies that mostly focused on a single dispute resolution method. The data were further analyzed with factor analysis. This improved the data interpretation.

Seven latent factors were extracted and revealed that the contractors and developers preferred alternative dispute resolution (ADR). However, the appreciation of the outcomes of ADR was perceived to be very low. Arbitration and litigation were in part accepted and agreed upon by the respondents.

The combined results from the literature review on the stages of dispute resolution and the latent factors affecting the selection of dispute resolution methods could assist in decision making. The selection of ADR or non‐ADR itself is not a major issue; rather, there is a concern for increased efficiency and an appreciation of the methods in the construction industry are more demanding.

Central clearing counterparties’ (CCPs) specific loss allocation mechanism is reflected in the specific resolution regime designed at the international level. At the same time, international guidance texts require equity to bear losses first in resolution. This creates a tension that immediately exposes resolution authorities to potential claims from CCPs’ shareholders. The purpose of this paper is to seek possible options to solve that tension, thereby enabling a workable and credible resolution regime for CCPs.

The paper analyses the current tension between the no creditor worse-off (NCWO) counterfactual for CCPs and the “equity bears first losses in resolution” principle. It then considers six different options to solve this tension, ranging from a revision of insolvency law to the modification of the loss-allocation structure.

The paper concludes that additional layers of capital contribution, adapting the contractual arrangements or articles of incorporation and/or the creation of a specific NCWO counterfactual for shareholders could help in solving the identified tension.

The paper presents options on how to design a workable and credible resolution regime for CCPs that would enable resolution authorities to exercise their powers and have the flexibility to intervene at an early stage in recovery to prevent the exhaustion of available financial resources, without being unduly exposed to claims.

The paper contributes to the literature on CCP resolution. It is one of the first to analyse the articulation between the loss-allocation structure of CCPs, the NCWO principle and shareholders’ rights. We hope that this paper will encourage further literature to develop on this important subject.