Report on a special investigation of the City of Callender for the period January 1, 2009 through January 3, 2012

Report on a special investigation of the City of Callender for the period January 1, 2009 through January 3, 2012

Industrial agglomerations and wage gradients: the Spanish economy in the interwar period

This paper gives new evidence on the relationship between integration and industrial agglomeration in the presence of scale economies, by testing directly one of the predictions that can be derived from Krugman (1991), that is, the existence of regional nominal wage gradients and its transformation following changes in trade regimes. Our case study analyzes the effects of the substitution of an open economy by a closed economy regime, exactly the opposite process studied by Hanson (1996, 1997). In Spain, during the interwar period, protectionist policies would have favored the loss of centrality of the coastal location (Barcelona) and the relative rise of central locations (such as Madrid). Our results indicate the existence of a wage gradient centered in Barcelona during the interwar period (1914-1930) and its weakening after 1925.

Report on a special investigation of the Benton County Conservation Department for the period June 1, 2010 through November 7, 2011

Report on a special investigation of the Benton County Conservation Department for the period June 1, 2010 through November 7, 2011

Extinction debt of high-mountain plants under 21st-century climate change

Quantitative estimates of the range loss of mountain plants under climate change have so far mostly relied on static geographical projections of species' habitat shifts(1-3). Here, we use a hybrid model(4) that combines such projections with simulations of demography and seed dispersal to forecast the climate-driven spatio-temporal dynamics of 150 high-mountain plant species across the European Alps. This model predicts average range size reductions of 44-50% by the end of the twenty-first century, which is similar to projections from the most 'optimistic' static model (49%). However, the hybrid model also indicates that population dynamics will lag behind climatic trends and that an average of 40% of the range still occupied at the end of the twenty-first century will have become climatically unsuitable for the respective species, creating an extinction debt(5,6). Alarmingly, species endemic to the Alps seem to face the highest range losses. These results caution against optimistic conclusions from moderate range size reductions observed during the twenty-first century as they are likely to belie more severe longer-term effects of climate warming on mountain plants.

Circadian clock-coordinated 12 Hr period rhythmic activation of the IRE1alpha pathway controls lipid metabolism in mouse liver.

The mammalian circadian clock plays a fundamental role in the liver by regulating fatty acid, glucose, and xenobiotic metabolism. Impairment of this rhythm has been shown to lead to diverse pathologies, including metabolic syndrome. Currently, it is supposed that the circadian clock regulates metabolism mostly by regulating expression of liver enzymes at the transcriptional level. Here, we show that the circadian clock also controls hepatic metabolism by synchronizing a secondary 12 hr period rhythm characterized by rhythmic activation of the IRE1alpha pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum. The absence of circadian clock perturbs this secondary clock and provokes deregulation of endoplasmic reticulum-localized enzymes. This leads to impaired lipid metabolism, resulting in aberrant activation of the sterol-regulated SREBP transcription factors. The resulting aberrant circadian lipid metabolism in mice devoid of the circadian clock could be involved in the appearance of the associated metabolic syndrome.

Molecular signaling in zebrafish development and the vertebrate phylotypic period

During development vertebrate embryos pass through a stage where their morphology is most conserved between species, the phylotypic period (approximately the pharyngula). To explain the resistance to evolutionary changes of this period, one hypothesis suggests that it is characterized by a high level of interactions. Based on this hypothesis, we examined protein-protein interactions, signal transduction cascades and miRNAs over the course of zebrafish development, and the conservation of expression of these genes in mouse development. We also investigated the characteristics of genes highly expressed before or during the presumed phylotypic period. We show that while there is a high diversity of interactions during the phylotypic period (protein-DNA, RNA-RNA, cell-cell, and between tissues), which is well conserved with mouse, there is no clear difference with later, more morphologically divergent, stages. We propose that the phylotypic period may rather be the expression at the morphological level of strong conservation of molecular processes earlier in development.

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

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