Agenda Control in Coalition Formation

Theoretical models of government formation in political science usually assume that the head of state is non-strategic. In this paper, we analyze the power of an agenda setter who chooses the order in which players are recognized to form coalitions in simple games. We characterize those sets of players which can be imposed in the equilibrium coalition and show that the only decisive structures where the agenda setter can impose the presence of any minimal winning coalition are apex games, where a large player forms a winning coalition with any of the small players.Agenda Control; Cabinet Formation; Simple Games

Not all financial regulation is global

Financial regulation at global level has been high on the G20 agenda. However, financial multipolarity, with the rise of emerging economies, and its impact on decision-making at global level has made global convergence difficult. In this policy brief, the authors, Bruegel Senior Fellow Nicolas Véron and Stéphane Rottier, National Bank of Belgium, explain why now is the time to focus on building stronger global public institutions, ensuring globally consistent financial information, creating globally integrated capital-markets infrastructure and addressing competitive distortions among global capital-market intermediaries to set the foundation for global harmonisation of all aspects of financial regulation.

Not All Financial Regulation Is Global

Two major shifts in the global financial regulatory landscape are likely impeding harmonization of global financial regulation: financial multipolarity, meaning the rise of emerging-market economies such as China and the impact of this trend on decision-making at the global level, and financial reregulation, or the trend toward stronger regulation of financial systems to buttress financial stability, particularly in developed economies. As a result, the ambitious objectives initially set by the G-20 leaders in the wake of the unprecedented financial crisis have so far not resulted in major international breakthroughs, warranting a reconsideration of the global financial regulatory agenda. Consistent regulatory choices across the globe are preferable, but achieving consistency involves difficult political and economic tradeoffs. Continued global capital-market integration can no longer be taken for granted. Policymakers should prioritize four key components to ensure the sustainability of financial integration: (1) strong global public institutions to provide a comprehensive analytical picture, set authoritative standards, and foster and monitor the consistency of regulatory practice; (2) globally consistent financial information; (3) new arrangements to enable and supervise globally integrated capital-market infrastructure; and (4) creating a level playing field for global capital-market intermediaries by addressing competitive distortions.

Preferences over Capital Income versus Labor Income Taxation

Empirical papers show that labor income and capital income are differently taxed all over the world. We investigate whether this may correspond to individual preferences. We tackle this question in an overlapping generations general equilibrium model with heterogeneous agents: young versus old and low skilled versus high skilled individuals. Taxes finance unemployment benefits and government consumption. High skilled agents prefer capital income taxes, while young unskilled and old agents prefer labor income taxation.Income taxation; Majority voting

Passaging of a Newcastle disease virus pigeon variant in chickens results in selection of viruses with mutations in the polymerase complex enhancing virus replication and virulence

Some Newcastle disease virus (NDV) variants isolated from pigeons (pigeon paramyxovirus type 1; PPMV-1) do not show their full virulence potential for domestic chickens but may become virulent upon spread in these animals. In this study we examined the molecular changes responsible for this gain of virulence by passaging a low-pathogenic PPMV-1 isolate in chickens. Complete genome sequencing of virus obtained after 1, 3 and 5 passages showed the increase in virulence was not accompanied by changes in the fusion protein – a well known virulence determinant of NDV – but by mutations in the L and P replication proteins. The effect of these mutations on virulence was confirmed by means of reverse genetics using an infectious cDNA clone. Acquisition of three amino acid mutations, two in the L protein and one in the P protein, significantly increased virulence as determined by intracerebral pathogenicity index tests in day-old chickens. The mutations enhanced virus replication in vitro and in vivo and increased the plaque size in infected cell culture monolayers. Furthermore, they increased the activity of the viral replication complex as determined by an in vitro minigenome replication assay. Our data demonstrate that PPMV-1 replication in chickens results in mutations in the polymerase complex rather than the viral fusion protein, and that the virulence level of pigeon paramyxoviruses is directly related to the activity of the viral replication complex

Viable porcine arteriviruses with deletions proximal to the 3 ' end of the genome

In order to obtain attenuated live vaccine candidates of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a series of deletions was introduced at the 3′ end of the viral genome using an infectious cDNA clone of the Lelystad virus isolate. RNA transcripts from the full-length cDNA clones were transfected into BHK-21 cells. The culture supernatant of these cells was subsequently used to infect porcine alveolar macrophages to detect the production of progeny virus. It is shown that C-terminal truncation of the nucleocapsid (N) protein, encoded by ORF7, was tolerated for up to six amino acids without blocking the production of infectious virus. Mutants containing larger deletions produced neither virus nor virus-like particles containing viral RNA. Deletion analysis of the 3′ UTR immediately downstream of ORF7 showed that infectious virus was still produced after removal of seven nucleotides behind the stop codon of ORF7. Deletion of 32 nucleotides in this region abolished RNA replication and, consequently, no infectious virus was formed. Serial passage on porcine alveolar macrophages demonstrated that the viable deletion mutants were genetically stable at the site of mutation. In addition, the deletions did not affect the growth properties of the recombinant viruses in vitro, while their antigenic profiles were similar to that of wild-type virus. Immunoprecipitation experiments with the six-residue N protein-deletion mutant confirmed that the truncated protein was indeed smaller than the wild-type N protein. The deletion mutants produced in this study are interesting candidate vaccines to prevent PRRS disease in pigs

Modification of the LRB E3 Ligase

Plants utilize a complex system of light responsive pathways to initiate discrete changes in the plant cell’s growth and development. The light regulating BTB (LRB) E3 ligase is utilized in the ubiquitinproteasome system (UPS) to target a group of photoreceptors, the phytochromes, for degradation. The UPS allows for the selective tagging and degradation of proteins in the cell. The phytochrome B complex is stable in FR, but broken down in red light by the LRBs. Evidence suggests that the LRBs become activated in red light by forming a complete E3 ligase complex which includes the protein Cul3. We propose to investigate how the LRBs become activated and bind to Cul3 in red light in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Evidence suggests the LRBs are modified by the Nedd8 protein (i.e., a protein used to activate a small group of other proteins in eukaryotes) in response to red light. This project proposes to investigate whether the LRBs are modified by the Nedd8 protein by using an in vitro neddylation assay. The results of this assay will improve the understanding of how LRB E3 ligases function in modifying light responses in plants and will also provide insight into neddylation and its effect on protein activity. To test our hypothesis that the LRB proteins are neddylated, in vitro testing will be used which limits the need for the genetic transformation of Arabidopsis to express the necessary tagged proteins needed for the assay. The assay will be performed using the Abcam Neddylation assay kit that includes Nedd8, along with other components necessary for neddylation with in vitro testing. We will test for neddylation using full-length LRB as well as C terminal and N terminal portions of LRB. For a positive control, CUL3a will be used as that is shown to be neddylated under standard in planta conditions. RBX1 may also be included in any neddylation assay since it has been found to increase neddylation rates. As a negative control, the C-terminus end of LRB1 will be assayed for neddylation as that domain is not hypothesized to be neddylated. The results to date do not influence the hypothesis of whether neddylation occurs on the LRB proteins as any of the results obtained are in the preparation of the proteins needed to conduct the neddylation assay. Therefore, no direct findings as to the ability or inability of neddylation of LRBs have been found. The results of the protein production and preparation have been progressing, and the purification of the LRB-full length is upcoming providing the first substrate for the neddylation assay. This progress is in support of the future investigation of neddylation. *This scholar and faculty mentor have requested that only an abstract be published

Expression Pattern of Lysosomal Protective Protein/Cathepsin A: Implications for the analysis of hnman galactosialidosis

The lysosome represents a well characterized, membrane-contained intracellular digestive system. Iu this important organelle a battery of lysosomal hydro lases and accessory proteins work in concert on the step-wise conversion of macromolecular substrates into small biological building blocks, which are either reutHized by the cell 01' discarded. A failure of any of these enzymes to properly exert their hydrolytic activity results in the progressive accumulation of partially degraded· metabolltes that are retained ('stored') in the lysosome. The genetic disorders caused by a malfunction of the lysosomal system are collectively known as lysosomal storage disorders, aud are normally associated with a single enzyme deficiency. One known exception is the disease galactosialldosis which is due to partial or complete loss of activity of two glycosidases, acid p-D-galactosidase and N-acetyl-a-neuraminidase, because of a primary defect in the carboxypeptidase protective protein/cathepsin A (PPCA). The latter enzyme associates with both glycosidases soon after syntbesis, and is essential for their proper intracellular routing, lysosomal stability and activity. Aside from the protective function, PPCA has cathepsin Aldeamidase activity on a selected number ofneuropeptides. The aim of the experimental work presented in tbis thesis was to gain insigbts into the transcription regulation of the PPCA gene and the expression of PPCA mRNA and protein In mouse tissues. These studies have coutributed to the understanding of the phenotypic abnormalities in the murine model of galactosialldosis, which reflected to a large extent the distribution pattern of the protein in normal tissues. Given the fact that the observed pathology in galactosialldosis is iu part caused by tbe secondary neuraminidase deficiency, the isolation and characterization of the murine neuraminidase was instrumen