The relationship of capitalization period length with market portfolio composition and betas

Beta coefficients are not stable if we modify the observation periods of the returns. The market portfolio composition also varies, whereas changes in the betas are the same, whether they are calculated as regression coefficients or as a ratio of the risk premiums. The instantaneous beta, obtained when the capitalization frequency approaches infinity, may be a useful tool in portfolio selection.

Report on a special investigation of the City of Blencoe for the period January 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011

Report on a special investigation of the City of Blencoe for the period January 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System I-Que Pension Administration System for the period June 18, 2012 through July 11, 2012

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System I-Que Pension Administration System for the period June 18, 2012 through July 11, 2012

Minimal analytical characterisation of engineered nanomaterials need for hazard assessment in biological matrices

The safe and responsible development of engineered nanomaterials (ENM), nanotechnology-based materials and products, together with the definition of regulatory measures and implementation of "nano"-legislation in Europe require a widely supported scientific basis and sufficient high quality data upon which to base decisions. At the very core of such a scientific basis is a general agreement on key issues related to risk assessment of ENMs which encompass the key parameters to characterise ENMs, appropriate methods of analysis and best approach to express the effect of ENMs in widely accepted dose response toxicity tests. The following major conclusions were drawn: Due to high batch variability of ENMs characteristics of commercially available and to a lesser degree laboratory made ENMs it is not possible to make general statements regarding the toxicity resulting from exposure to ENMs. 1) Concomitant with using the OECD priority list of ENMs, other criteria for selection of ENMs like relevance for mechanistic (scientific) studies or risk assessment-based studies, widespread availability (and thus high expected volumes of use) or consumer concern (route of consumer exposure depending on application) could be helpful. The OECD priority list is focussing on validity of OECD tests. Therefore source material will be first in scope for testing. However for risk assessment it is much more relevant to have toxicity data from material as present in products/matrices to which men and environment are be exposed. 2) For most, if not all characteristics of ENMs, standardized methods analytical methods, though not necessarily validated, are available. Generally these methods are only able to determine one single characteristic and some of them can be rather expensive. Practically, it is currently not feasible to fully characterise ENMs. Many techniques that are available to measure the same nanomaterial characteristic produce contrasting results (e.g. reported sizes of ENMs). It was recommended that at least two complementary techniques should be employed to determine a metric of ENMs. The first great challenge is to prioritise metrics which are relevant in the assessment of biological dose response relations and to develop analytical methods for characterising ENMs in biological matrices. It was generally agreed that one metric is not sufficient to describe fully ENMs. 3) Characterisation of ENMs in biological matrices starts with sample preparation. It was concluded that there currently is no standard approach/protocol for sample preparation to control agglomeration/aggregation and (re)dispersion. It was recommended harmonization should be initiated and that exchange of protocols should take place. The precise methods used to disperse ENMs should be specifically, yet succinctly described within the experimental section of a publication. 4) ENMs need to be characterised in the matrix as it is presented to the test system (in vitro/ in vivo). 5) Alternative approaches (e.g. biological or in silico systems) for the characterisation of ENMS are simply not possible with the current knowledge. Contributors: Iseult Lynch, Hans Marvin, Kenneth Dawson, Markus Berges, Diane Braguer, Hugh J. Byrne, Alan Casey, Gordon Chambers, Martin Clift, Giuliano Elia1, Teresa F. Fernandes, Lise Fjellsbø, Peter Hatto, Lucienne Juillerat, Christoph Klein, Wolfgang Kreyling, Carmen Nickel1, and Vicki Stone.

Report on a special investigation of the New Hampton Municipal Light Plant for the period January 1, 2001 through May 31, 2012

Report on a special investigation of the New Hampton Municipal Light Plant for the period January 1, 2001 through May 31, 2012

Reaudit report on the Centerville Community School District for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010

Reaudit report on the Centerville Community School District for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010

Report on a special investigation of the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, for the period December 1, 2002 through January 31, 2012

Report on a special investigation of the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, for the period December 1, 2002 through January 31, 2012

Report on the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for the period July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2012

Report on the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for the period July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2012

The effect of a period of intense exercise on the marker approach to detect growth hormone doping in sports.

The major objective of this study was to investigate the effects of several days of intense exercise on the growth hormone marker approach to detect doping with human growth hormone (hGH). In addition we investigated the effect of changes in plasma volume on the test. Fifteen male athletes performed a simulated nine-day cycling stage race. Blood samples were collected twice daily over a period of 15 days (stage race + three days before and after). Plasma volumes were estimated by the optimized CO Rebreathing method. IGF-1 and P-III-NP were analyzed by Siemens Immulite and Cisbio Assays, respectively. All measured GH 2000 scores were far below the published decision limits for an adverse analytical finding. The period of exercise did not increase the GH-scores; however the accompanying effect of the increase in Plasma Volume yielded in essentially lower GH-scores. We could demonstrate that a period of heavy, long-term exercise with changes in plasma volume does not interfere with the decision limits for an adverse analytical finding. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Report on a special investigation of the Southwest Iowa Transit Agency for the period July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012

Report on a special investigation of the Southwest Iowa Transit Agency for the period July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa State University of Science and Technology Room and Board System for the period of April 9, 2012 through May 1, 2012

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the Iowa State University of Science and Technology Room and Board System for the period of April 9, 2012 through May 1, 2012

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics’ GE Centricity System for the period May 28, 2012 through July 30, 2012

Report on a review of selected general and application controls over the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics’ GE Centricity System for the period May 28, 2012 through July 30, 2012

Report on a special investigation of the City of Buffalo for the period September 25, 2008 through September 30, 2010

Report on a special investigation of the City of Buffalo for the period September 25, 2008 through September 30, 2010

Report on a special investigation of the Adair County Engineer’s Office for the period December 5, 2001 through December 31, 2011

Report on a special investigation of the Adair County Engineer’s Office for the period December 5, 2001 through December 31, 2011

Report on a review of certain Unemployment Insurance payments made by Iowa Workforce Development during the period January 1, 2006 through March 15, 2011

Report on a review of certain Unemployment Insurance payments made by Iowa Workforce Development during the period January 1, 2006 through March 15, 2011