Background:

The blood flow and transportation of molecules in the cardiovascular system plays a crucial role in the genesis and progression of atherosclerosis. This computational study elucidates the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) site concentration in the entire normal human 3D tree of the LCA.

Methods:

A 3D geometry model of the normal human LCA tree is constructed. Angiographic data used for geometry construction correspond to end-diastole. The resulted model includes the LMCA, LAD, LCxA and their main branches. The numerical simulation couples the flow equations with the transport equation applying realistic boundary conditions at the wall.

Results: Read more »

It is not all that long ago that the big credit crunch banks were being lambasted in some quarters for their plans to invest heavily in Chinese banks, and that at least one pundit was predicting “The Coming Collapse of China”. How things change! Now it is the titans of Wall Street and the City that have faced collapse, and western government intervention that has saved (we hope!) the financial system. Today’s Telegraph carries a nice quote from Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive of WPP:

“This [rescue] is a form of state directed capitalism which is more akin to the Chinese model than it is to our own.”

Indeed, it was never in much doubt that the Chinese would bail out their own banking system in the event of a crisis – and they did when faced with triangular debts (the model for our own, latest crash?) and non-performing loans (NPLs) via the set up of the asset management companies (AMCs) and Central Huijin. Read more »

While Beijing is still basking in the afterglow of the Olympics, Forbes and the Economist have been looking further afield, and have ranked the business attractiveness of China’s bigger cities.

From Forbes (via China.org.cn):

Top Five:

1. Hangzhou
2. Shanghai
3. Wuxi
4. Nanjing
5. Ningbo

“Hangzhou was named the best place to do business in China for a fifth consecutive year in a Forbes survey…Shanghai came in at No 2, with Beijing remaining in sixth position for the second straight year. Wuxi was third, Nanjing fourth and Ningbo fifth.

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A 33-year-old Filipino woman has just been arrested Tuesday for trying to smuggle an undisclosed volume of heroin at Pudong airport. This follows last September when a 25-year-old Filipino man was also arrested in Pudong for sneaking into Shanghai with 1.2 kilos of heroin in his hand-carry luggage (!!!). In both instances, suspects boarded Cebu Pacific flight number 5J678 which flies Manila-Shanghai.

The proliferation of Filipino drug mules is now a cause for concern for the country’s Dangerous Drugs Board. Said Vicente Sotto III, the chairman, to the Filipino House of Representatives:

“This means they passed through our own airports undetected and that a transnational syndicate behind them could be here in our country.”

“We have to impose stricter security and inspection procedures to make sure prohibited drugs will not leave or enter the country through the country’s airports,”

“We already have a problem with the importation of illegal drugs in the Philippines,” he told reporters. “Now, we’re exporting them.”

“We are warning our people against accepting offers to carry illegal drugs in exchange for money,” he said. “It’s not worth it.”

Photo of an Amish mule from cindy47452, not of the arrested Filipino mule

• This has gotta be one of the most spectacular stories we’ve read on Shanghai Daily. A 22 year old Zhejiang native has flown back from Italy to Shanghai to turn himself in to the police for a gang rape he was involved in six years ago. Shortly after the incident, the young man emigrated to Italy with his family, but three of his friends were caught and thrown in jail. In May this year, he and his younger brother were involved in an accident on a highway in Italy that took his brother’s life and cost him his leg. Convinced that his brother took retribution for his crime and overcome with guilt for the rape, he flew back with his father to turn himself in.
• The 167-metre long icebreaker Xuelong, or “Snow Dragon,” carrying China’s third arctic expeidition team of 122 scientists and staff, has ended its 75 day journey and returned to the Shanghai port.
• As part of Shanghai’s preparations to host the 2010 World Expo, whose slogan is “Better City, Better Life”, Shanghai has begun a Paris-style rental programme to encourage people to ditch the car/taxi and get back on their bikes. The programme was launched on Monday to coincide with World Car Free Day (which we suspect nobody in Shanghai had a clue was happening).

Photo from Lomogirl.

The world of global sourcing is even flatter and growing smaller by the day thanks to the advent of online marketplaces.

Since the global economic downturn set in, people have been asking me about its impact on e-commerce and Alibaba.com. While it is true that some businesses have become wary and have held back from international trade, it is equally true that many others are turning to more efficient and cost-effective ways of doing business—one of which is e-commerce.

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