Modelling Dynamic Storage Function in Commodity Markets:Theory and Evidence

Stockholding decisions in agricultural commodity markets represent a source for strengthening risk management techniques related to future markets development. In this work, we propose a generalised dynamic approach to obtain a consistent stockholding decision rule, in which the cash and storage markets are modelled simultaneously. The qualitative dynamic investigation of the storage function is carried out by considering two heterogeneous categories of agents - processors and speculators – who are responsible of fluctuations of the spot price equation. Using the U.S. corn market data, empirical estimations are statistically robust and economically coherent with the theorySpot and Storage Markets, Convenience Yield, Inventories

A Narrowing of the Effects of the Expanded Child Tax Credit

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 expanded the child tax credit. The temporary expansion increased the amount families would receive for each child, made the credit accessible to lower-income families, and paid out the credit in monthly installments. Throughout this paper, a review of the child tax credit’s history, former eligibility and impacts will be compared to that of the extended policy in 2021. Most importantly, the paper will delve into various groups that received the child tax credit in 2021. Specifically, the effects will be reviewed in terms of family structure, region, educational attainment, and race. Thus, this paper will provide a comprehensive understanding of the child tax credit prior to the 2021 expansion and will provide a deeper understanding as to what happened with the expansion and its immense impact on families throughout the United States

Il settore del turismo on line: un'analisi dei siti web dei vettori aerei low cost.

Il lavoro svolto analizza il mercato del turismo on line focalizzandosi sulle compagnie aeree low cost come diretta conseguenza dello sviluppo del turismo in Rete. Allo scopo di valutare i servizi offerti da queste compagnie e di capire come competono in un settore nel quale la concorrenza è altissima, si è cercato di valutare la qualità di alcuni dei loro siti web.Per semplicità ci siamo focalizzati su pochi siti, alcuni dei più rilevanti, e abbiamo svolto una piccola indagine esplorativa, volta a determinarne i contenuti, le offerte, i punti di forza e di debolezza, in un’unica parola la qualità del sito web, che rispecchia di conseguenza la qualità dei servizi offerti dall’azienda

Alternative splicing and gene polymorphism of the human TAP3/SEC14L4 gene

Three closely related human SEC14p-like proteins (hTAP1, hTAP2, hTAP3, or SEC14L2, SEC14L3, SEC14L4, respectively) have been described that are related to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SEC14 protein. These proteins may participate in intracellular lipid transport and influence regulatory lipid-dependent events. Here we report the isolation of an alternatively spliced hTAP3 cDNA and a polymorphism within the coding region of the hTAP3/SEC14L4 gen

Selective inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4D increases tau phosphorylation at Ser214 residue

Tau is a protein that normally participates in the assembly and stability of microtubules. However, it can form intraneuronal hyperphosphorylated aggregates that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies. Tau can be phosphorylated by multiple kinases at several sites. Among such kinases, the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylates tau at Ser214 (pTAU-S214), an event that was shown to reduce the pathological assembly of the protein. Given that the neuronal cAMP/PKA-activated cascade is involved in synaptic plasticity and memory, and that cAMP-enhancing strategies demonstrated promising therapeutic potential for the treatment of cognitive deficits, we investigated the impact of cAMP on pTAU-S214 in N2a cells and rat hippocampal slices. Our results confirm that the activation of adenylyl cyclase increases pTAU-S214 in both model systems and, more interestingly, this effect is mimicked by GEBR-7b, a phosphodiesterase 4D inhibitor with proven pro-cognitive efficacy in rodents

Local Coordination Modulates the Reflectivity of Liquefied Si-Ge Alloys

The properties of liquid Si-Ge binary systems at melting conditions deviate from those expected by the ideal alloy approximation. Particularly, a non-linear dependence of the dielectric functions occurs with the reflectivity of liquid Si-Ge being 10\% higher at intermediate Ge content than in pure Si or Ge. Using \textit{ab initio} methodologies, we revealed a direct correlation between reflectivity and atomic coordination, discovering that Si-Ge's higher local coordination drives the aforementioned optical behavior. These findings extend the physical understanding of liquefied semiconductors and hold the promise of further generalization

Stability of Tin- versus Lead-Halide Perovskites: Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Perovskite/Water Interfaces

Tin-halide perovskites (THPs) have emerged as promising lead-free perovskites for photovoltaics and photocatalysis applications but still fall short in terms of stability and efficiency with respect to their lead-based counterpart. A detailed understanding of the degradation mechanism of THPs in a water environment is missing. This Letter presents ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations to unravel atomistic details of THP/water interfaces comparing methylammonium tin iodide, MASnI3, with the lead-based MAPbI3. Our results reveal facile solvation of surface tin-iodine bonds in MASnI3, while MAPbI3remains more robust to degradation despite a larger amount of adsorbed water molecules. Additional AIMD simulations on dimethylammonium tin bromide, DMASnBr3, investigate the origins of their unprecedented water stability. Our results indicate the presence of amorphous surface layers of hydrated zero-dimensional SnBr3complexes which may protect the inner structure from degradation and explain their success as photocatalysts. We believe that the atomistic details of the mechanisms affecting THP (in-)stability may inspire new strategies to stabilize THPs

Modulation of cAMP levels by highâ fat diet and curcumin and regulatory effects on CD36/FAT scavenger receptor/fatty acids transporter gene expression

Curcumin, a polyphenol from turmeric (Curcuma longa), reduces inflammation, atherosclerosis, and obesity in several animal studies. In Ldlrâ /â mice fed a highâ fat diet (HFD), curcumin reduces plasma lipid levels, therefore contributing to a lower accumulation of lipids and to reduced expression of fatty acid transport proteins (CD36/FAT, FABP4/aP2) in peritoneal macrophages. In this study, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which curcumin (500, 1000, 1500 mg/kg diet, for 4 months) may influence plasma and tissue lipid levels in Ldlrâ /â mice fed an HFD. In liver, HFD significantly suppressed cAMP levels, and curcumin restored almost normal levels. Similar trends were observed in adipose tissues, but not in brain, skeletal muscle, spleen, and kidney. Treatment with curcumin increased phosphorylation of CREB in liver, what may play a role in regulatory effects of curcumin in lipid homeostasis. In cell lines, curcumin increased the level of cAMP, activated the transcription factor CREB and the human CD36 promoter via a sequence containing a consensus CREB response element. Regulatory effects of HFD and Cur on gene expression were observed in liver, less in skeletal muscle and not in brain. Since the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA)/CREB pathway plays an important role in lipid homeostasis, energy expenditure, and thermogenesis by increasing lipolysis and fatty acid βâ oxidation, an increase in cAMP levels induced by curcumin may contribute to its hypolipidemic and antiâ atherosclerotic effects. © 2016 BioFactors, 43(1):42â 53, 2017Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136289/1/biof1307_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136289/2/biof1307.pd