Audit of the Memorial Union Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University) as of and for the year ended June 30, 2007

Audit of the Memorial Union Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University) as of and for the year ended June 30, 2007

Annual Report of the Iowa Department of Revenue FY2007

Annual Report of the Iowa Department of Revenue FY2007

Addendum to Annual Report of the Iowa Department of Revenue FY2007

Addendum to Annual Report of the Iowa Department of Revenue FY2007. Comparison to prior years. Local option tax distributions.

Revenue management under general discrete choice model of consumer behavior

Customer choice behavior, such as 'buy-up' and 'buy-down', is an importantphe-nomenon in a wide range of industries. Yet there are few models ormethodologies available to exploit this phenomenon within yield managementsystems. We make some progress on filling this void. Specifically, wedevelop a model of yield management in which the buyers' behavior ismodeled explicitly using a multi-nomial logit model of demand. Thecontrol problem is to decide which subset of fare classes to offer ateach point in time. The set of open fare classes then affects the purchaseprobabilities for each class. We formulate a dynamic program todetermine the optimal control policy and show that it reduces to a dynamicnested allocation policy. Thus, the optimal choice-based policy caneasily be implemented in reservation systems that use nested allocationcontrols. We also develop an estimation procedure for our model based onthe expectation-maximization (EM) method that jointly estimates arrivalrates and choice model parameters when no-purchase outcomes areunobservable. Numerical results show that this combined optimization-estimation approach may significantly improve revenue performancerelative to traditional leg-based models that do not account for choicebehavior.

Nestmate recognition and the genetic relatedness of nests in the ant Formica pratensis

Genetic relatedness of the mound-building ant Formica pratensis was determined by means of microsatellite DNA polymorphism, and its impact on nestmate recognition was tested in a population in Southern Sweden (Oeland). Recognition between nests was measured by testing aggression levels between single pairs of workers. The genetic distances of nests (Nei's genetic distance) and the spatial distance of nests were correlated and both showed a strong relation to the aggression behavior. Multiple regression analysis revealed a stronger impact of genetic relatedness rather than spatial distances on aggression behavior. Neighbouring nests were more closely related than distant nests, which may reflect budding as a possible spreading mechanism. The genetic distance data showed that nestmate recognition was strongly genetically influenced in F. pratensis.

Siglec-1 is a novel dendritic cell receptor that mediates HIV-1 trans-infection through recognition of viral membrane gangliosides.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are essential antigen-presenting cells for the induction of immunity against pathogens. However, HIV-1 spread is strongly enhanced in clusters of DCs and CD4(+) T cells. Uninfected DCs capture HIV-1 and mediate viral transfer to bystander CD4(+) T cells through a process termed trans-infection. Initial studies identified the C-type lectin DC-SIGN as the HIV-1 binding factor on DCs, which interacts with the viral envelope glycoproteins. Upon DC maturation, however, DC-SIGN is down-regulated, while HIV-1 capture and trans-infection is strongly enhanced via a glycoprotein-independent capture pathway that recognizes sialyllactose-containing membrane gangliosides. Here we show that the sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 1 (Siglec-1, CD169), which is highly expressed on mature DCs, specifically binds HIV-1 and vesicles carrying sialyllactose. Furthermore, Siglec-1 is essential for trans-infection by mature DCs. These findings identify Siglec-1 as a key factor for HIV-1 spread via infectious DC/T-cell synapses, highlighting a novel mechanism that mediates HIV-1 dissemination in activated tissues.

Proving the performance of a new revenue management system

Revenue management (RM) is a complicated business process that can best be described ascontrol of sales (using prices, restrictions, or capacity), usually using software as a tool to aiddecisions. RM software can play a mere informative role, supplying analysts with formatted andsummarized data who use it to make control decisions (setting a price or allocating capacity fora price point), or, play a deeper role, automating the decisions process completely, at the otherextreme. The RM models and algorithms in the academic literature by and large concentrateon the latter, completely automated, level of functionality.A firm considering using a new RM model or RM system needs to evaluate its performance.Academic papers justify the performance of their models using simulations, where customerbooking requests are simulated according to some process and model, and the revenue perfor-mance of the algorithm compared to an alternate set of algorithms. Such simulations, whilean accepted part of the academic literature, and indeed providing research insight, often lackcredibility with management. Even methodologically, they are usually awed, as the simula-tions only test \within-model" performance, and say nothing as to the appropriateness of themodel in the first place. Even simulations that test against alternate models or competition arelimited by their inherent necessity on fixing some model as the universe for their testing. Theseproblems are exacerbated with RM models that attempt to model customer purchase behav-ior or competition, as the right models for competitive actions or customer purchases remainsomewhat of a mystery, or at least with no consensus on their validity.How then to validate a model? Putting it another way, we want to show that a particularmodel or algorithm is the cause of a certain improvement to the RM process compared to theexisting process. We take care to emphasize that we want to prove the said model as the causeof performance, and to compare against a (incumbent) process rather than against an alternatemodel.In this paper we describe a \live" testing experiment that we conducted at Iberia Airlineson a set of flights. A set of competing algorithms control a set of flights during adjacentweeks, and their behavior and results are observed over a relatively long period of time (9months). In parallel, a group of control flights were managed using the traditional mix of manualand algorithmic control (incumbent system). Such \sandbox" testing, while common at manylarge internet search and e-commerce companies is relatively rare in the revenue managementarea. Sandbox testing has an undisputable model of customer behavior but the experimentaldesign and analysis of results is less clear. In this paper we describe the philosophy behind theexperiment, the organizational challenges, the design and setup of the experiment, and outlinethe analysis of the results. This paper is a complement to a (more technical) related paper thatdescribes the econometrics and statistical analysis of the results.

3D seismic facies characterization and geological patterns recognition (Australian North West Shelf)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This PhD research, funded by the Swiss Sciences Foundation, is principally devoted to enhance the recognition, the visualisation and the characterization of geobodies through innovative 3D seismic approaches. A series of case studies from the Australian North West Shelf ensures the development of reproducible integrated 3D workflows and gives new insight into local and regional stratigraphic as well as structural issues. This project was initiated in year 2000 at the Geology and Palaeontology Institute of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). Several collaborations ensured the improvement of technical approaches as well as the assessment of geological models. - Investigations into the Timor Sea structural style were carried out at the Tectonics Special Research Centre of the University of Western Australia and in collaboration with Woodside Energy in Perth. - Seismic analysis and attributes classification approach were initiated with Schlumberger Oilfield Australia in Perth; assessments and enhancements of the integrated seismic approaches benefited from collaborations with scientists from Schlumberger Stavanger Research (Norway). Adapting and refining from "linear" exploration techniques, a conceptual "helical" 3D seismic approach has been developed. In order to investigate specific geological issues this approach, integrating seismic attributes and visualisation tools, has been refined and adjusted leading to the development of two specific workflows: - A stratigraphic workflow focused on the recognition of geobodies and the characterization of depositional systems. Additionally, it can support the modelling of the subsidence and incidentally the constraint of the hydrocarbon maturity of a given area. - A structural workflow used to quickly and accurately define major and secondary fault systems. The integration of the 3D structural interpretation results ensures the analysis of the fault networks kinematics which can affect hydrocarbon trapping mechanisms. The application of these integrated workflows brings new insight into two complex settings on the Australian North West Shelf and ensures the definition of astonishing stratigraphic and structural outcomes. The stratigraphic workflow ensures the 3D characterization of the Late Palaeozoic glacial depositional system on the Mermaid Nose (Dampier Subbasin, Northern Carnarvon Basin) that presents similarities with the glacial facies along the Neotethys margin up to Oman (chapter 3.1). A subsidence model reveals the Phanerozoic geodynamic evolution of this area (chapter 3.2) and emphasizes two distinct mode of regional extension for the Palaeozoic (Neotethys opening) and Mesozoic (abyssal plains opening). The structural workflow is used for the definition of the structural evolution of the Laminaria High area (Bonaparte Basin). Following a regional structural characterization of the Timor Sea (chapter 4.1), a thorough analysis of the Mesozoic fault architecture reveals a local rotation of the stress field and the development of reverse structures (flower structures) in extensional setting, that form potential hydrocarbon traps (chapter 4.2). The definition of the complex Neogene structural architecture associated with the fault kinematic analysis and a plate flexure model (chapter 4.3) suggest that the Miocene to Pleistocene reactivation phases recorded at the Laminaria High most probably result from the oblique normal reactivation of the underlying Mesozoic fault planes. This episode is associated with the deformation of the subducting Australian plate. Based on these results three papers were published in international journals and two additional publications will be submitted. Additionally this research led to several communications in international conferences. Although the different workflows presented in this research have been primarily developed and used for the analysis of specific stratigraphic and structural geobodies on the Australian North West Shelf, similar integrated 3D seismic approaches will have applications to hydrocarbon exploration and production phases; for instance increasing the recognition of potential source rocks, secondary migration pathways, additional traps or reservoir breaching mechanisms. The new elements brought by this research further highlight that 3D seismic data contains a tremendous amount of hidden geological information waiting to be revealed and that will undoubtedly bring new insight into depositional systems, structural evolution and geohistory of the areas reputed being explored and constrained and other yet to be constrained. The further development of 3D texture attributes highlighting specific features of the seismic signal, the integration of quantitative analysis for stratigraphic and structural processes, the automation of the interpretation workflow as well as the formal definition of "seismo-morphologic" characteristics of a wide range of geobodies from various environments would represent challenging examples of continuation of this present research. The 21st century will most probably represent a transition period between fossil and other alternative energies. The next generation of seismic interpreters prospecting for hydrocarbon will undoubtedly face new challenges mostly due to the shortage of obvious and easy targets. They will probably have to keep on integrating techniques and geological processes in order to further capitalise the seismic data for new potentials definition. Imagination and creativity will most certainly be among the most important quality required from such geoscientists.

Report of Recommendations to the Iowa Department of Revenue for the year ended June 30, 2007

Report on the Iowa Department of Revenue for the year ended June 30, 2007

Report of the Academic Building Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Academic Building Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Dormitory and Dining Services Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Dormitory and Dining Services Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Recreational Facility Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Recreational Facility Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Student Health Facility Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Student Health Facility Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Utility System Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Utility System Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Parking System Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008

Report of the Parking System Revenue Bond Funds of Iowa State University of Science and Technology as of and for the year ended June 30, 2008