THIRD COUNTRY EFFECTS ON U.S. WHEAT EXPORT PERFORMANCE IN ASIAN COUNTRIES

This study examines third country effects on U.S. wheat export performance in Asian countries. An import demand model is developed to analyze the impacts of price competitiveness, exchange rates, and exchange rate volatilities on U.S. wheat market shares. The United States competes with Australia and Canada in the Asian wheat market. Empirical results show that two factors, Australian wheat price and U.S. dollar values against the Asian countries' currencies, have significant effects on U.S. market shares in this region. Furthermore, exchange rate risks between the exporting and importing countries are found to be important.international grain trade, market share, exchange rate, panel analysis., International Relations/Trade,

A GIS-Based Approach for Determining Potential Runoff Coefficient and Runoff Depth for the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA

The Indian River Lagoon system (IRL), spanning ~40% of Florida’s east coast, is one of the nation’s biggest and most biodiverse estuaries. In 2011, a super algal bloom event occurred in the IRL with total nitrogen and phosphorus levels that exceeded historical levels. Scientists suspect that nonpoint source pollution through surface runoff may have had a significant impact on the recent recurring algal blooms. Digital Elevation Model, land cover/land use, and soil data were used to calculate a runoff coefficient for the IRL drainage basin. Rainfall data were used to calculate runoff depth for the study area between the years of 2006–2016. When the monthly runoff depth data for 2011 were compared to a previous study on the 2011 super algal bloom in the lagoon, areas with high runoff visually matched the areas with higher chlorophyll a concentrations. Land development was a significant variable for determining runoff depth (p < 0.0001), and although used to derive runoff depths, the influence of precipitation was marginally significant (p = 0.06). Significant spatial autocorrelation indicated local trends between land development and runoff depth (p < 0.0001). Outputs will aid with decisions on stormwater management to more sustainable land development planning

EFFECTS OF THE CANADIAN WHEAT BOARD ON THE U.S. WHEAT INDUSTRY

The practices of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) are an important issue in U.S. - Canada trade disputes and WTO negotiations. This study analyzes the CWB?s effect on U.S. producers by reviewing findings from previous research and developing models to analyze CWB wheat exports to the United States and the competitive structure of Canadian wheat exports in the world market. U.S. grain producers could benefit from the removal of the CWB as the United States could become more competitive in export markets. However, elimination of the CWB could also result in an increase in Canadian wheat exports to the United States as Canadian producers near the border could sell directly to the United States to take advantage of market opportunities. The net effect is difficult to quantify. The net benefits may be significant in the short run, but reduced significantly in the long run. Similarly, if Canada reforms its wheat board by eliminating trade-distorting subsidies, the United States may increase its exports and Canadian exports to the United States may increase. The net benefits from reforming the CWB could be greater than those from eliminating it. However, the United States could benefit the most from complete elimination of state trading enterprises (STEs), since they have elements distorting trade flows and the United States competes with several STEs in the world wheat market.Canadian Wheat Board, state trading enterprises, price discrimination, wheat exports, Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade,

NOMINAL EXCHANGE RATE MISALIGNMENT: IS IT PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO AGRICULTURAL TRADE?

This paper examines whether exchange rate misalignment negatively affects agricultural trade, compared to other industry sectors. Nominal exchange rate misalignment is obtained from the percentage deviation of real exchange rates from their long-run equilibrium based on the theory of purchasing power parity. In order to explore this issue, a bilateral trade matrix involving trade flows between 10 developed countries is constructed. Using panel data analysis, a gravity model is estimated for 4 industry sectors over the period 1974-1999. The study finds that over-valuation (under-valuation) of the nominal exchange rate negatively (positively) affects export performance of the agricultural sector in particular. In the large-scale manufacturing sectors considered in this paper, exports are not significantly affected by exchange rate misalignment.exchange rate misalignment, agricultural trade, gravity model, International Relations/Trade,

THE EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE VOLATILITY ON WHEAT TRADE WORLDWIDE

A modified gravity-type model was employed to evaluate the effect of exchange rate volatility on wheat exports worldwide. Special attention was given to the econometric properties of the gravity model within a panel framework. Short and long-term measures of exchange rate volatility were constructed and compared. Both measures of exchange rate volatility exhibited negative effects on world wheat trade, with even greater effects in the long-term measure. This result implies that exchange rate volatility is an important factor in explaining the trade pattern of wheat worldwide.wheat, export, exchange rate, volatility, gravity model, and panel data., International Relations/Trade,

THE EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE VOLATILITY ON WHEAT TRADE WORLDWIDE

A modified gravity-type model was employed to evaluate the effect of exchange rate volatility on wheat exports worldwide. Special attention was given to the econometric properties of the gravity model within panel framework. Short and long-term measures of exchange rate volatility were constructed and compared. Both measures of exchange rate volatility have exhibited a negative effect on world wheat trade and the long-term effect was even larger. This result implies that exchange rate volatility is an important factor in explaining the trade pattern of wheat trade worldwide. Keywords: wheat, export, exchange rate, volatility, gravity model, and panel data.wheat, export, exchange rate, volatility, gravity model, and panel data., International Relations/Trade,

Insight into highly conserved H1 subtype-specific epitopes in influenza virus hemagglutinin

Influenza viruses continuously undergo antigenic changes with gradual accumulation of mutations in hemagglutinin (HA) that is a major determinant in subtype specificity. The identification of conserved epitopes within specific HA subtypes gives an important clue for developing new vaccines and diagnostics. We produced and characterized nine monoclonal antibodies that showed significant neutralizing activities against H1 subtype influenza viruses, and determined the complex structure of HA derived from a 2009 pandemic virus A/Korea/01/2009 (KR01) and the Fab fragment from H1-specific monoclonal antibody GC0587. The overall structure of the complex was essentially identical to the previously determined KR01 HA-Fab0757 complex structure. Both Fab0587 and Fab0757 recognize readily accessible head regions of HA, revealing broadly shared and conserved antigenic determinants among H1 subtypes. The beta-strands constituted by Ser110-Glu115 and Lys169-Lys170 form H1 epitopes with distinct conformations from those of H1 and H3 HA sites. In particular, Glu112, Glu115, Lys169, and Lys171 that are highly conserved among H1 subtype HAs have close contacts with HCDR3 and LCDR3. The differences between Fab0587 and Fab0757 complexes reside mainly in HCDR3 and LCDR3, providing distinct antigenic determinants specific for 1918 pdm influenza strain. Our results demonstrate a potential key neutralizing epitope important for H1 subtype specificity in influenza virus

TCF/β-catenin plays an important role in HCCR-1 oncogene expression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oncogene <it>HCCR-1 </it>functions as a negative regulator of the p53 and contributes to tumorigenesis of various human tissues. However, it is unknown how <it>HCCR-1 </it>contributes to the cellular and biochemical mechanisms of human tumorigenesis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we showed how the expression of <it>HCCR-1 </it>is modulated. The luciferase activity assay indicated that the <it>HCCR-1 </it>5'-flanking region at positions -166 to +30 plays an important role in <it>HCCR-1 </it>promoter activity. Computational analysis of this region identified two consensus sequences for the T-cell factor (TCF) located at -26 to -4 (Tcf1) and -136 to -114 (Tcf2). Mutation at the Tcf1 site led to a dramatic decrease in promoter activity. Mobility shift assays (EMSA) revealed that nuclear proteins bind to the Tcf1 site, but not to the Tcf2 site. LiCl, Wnt signal activator by GSK-3β inhibition, significantly increased reporter activities in wild-type Tcf1-containing constructs, but were without effect in mutant Tcf1-containing constructs in HEK/293 cells. In addition, endogenous <it>HCCR-1 </it>expression was also increased by treatment with GSK-3β inhibitor, LiCl or AR-A014418 in HEK/293 and K562 cells. Finally, we also observed that the transcription factor, TCF, and its cofactor, β-catenin, bound to the Tcf1 site.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that the Tcf1 site on the <it>HCCR-1 </it>promoter is a major element regulating <it>HCCR-1 </it>expression and abnormal stimulation of this site may induce various human cancers.</p