Predicting gross state product growth with the Chicago Fed's Midwest Economy Index

This article explains how the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Midwest Economy Index (MEI) can be used to produce quarterly estimates of the annual gross state product (GSP) growth of each state in the Seventh Federal Reserve District.Economic conditions - Federal Reserve District, 7th ; Federal Reserve District, 7th

Groundwater Entrepreneurs in China: Selling Water to Meet the Demand for Water

The overall goal of our paper is to better understand the development of groundwater markets in northern China. In particular, we focus on the factors that determine the development of groundwater markets in our attempt to explain their 'breadth' and 'depth.' Based on a survey of 24 randomly sampled villages and 50 randomly sampled tubewells in two provinces (Hebei and Henan Province) in 2001 and a field survey of 68 randomly sampled villages in 4 provinces (Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, and Shaanxi) of northern China in 2004, our results show that groundwater markets in northern China have emerged and are developing rapidly. Our results show that groundwater markets in northern China are informal and localized. The markets have developed in a way in which they appear somewhat similar to markets that are found in South Asia. However, groundwater markets differ from markets in South Asia in other ways -- water sellers discriminate in pricing and they almost always work on a spot-market, cash basis (that is, there are no share or labor sharing arrangements as found in South Asia). Econometric results show that the privatization of tubewells is one of the most important driving factors that encourage the development of groundwater markets. Increasing water and land scarcity are also major determinants that induce the development of groundwater markets

Myosin 1a Regulates Osteoblast Differentiation Independent of Intestinal Calcium Transport.

Myosin 1A (Myo1a) is a mechanoenzyme previously thought to be located exclusively in the intestinal epithelium. It is the principle calmodulin-binding protein of the brush border. Based on earlier studies in chickens, we hypothesized that Myo1a facilitates calcium transport across the brush border membrane of the intestinal epithelium, perhaps in association with the calcium channel Trpv6. Working with C2Bbe1 cells, a human intestinal epithelial cell line, we observed that overexpression of Myo1a increased, whereas the antisense construct blocked calcium transport. To further test this hypothesis, we examined mice in which either or both Myo1a and Trpv6 had been deleted. Although the Trpv6-null mice had decreased intestinal calcium transport, the Myo1a-null mouse did not, disproving our original hypothesis, at least in mice. Expecting that a reduction in intestinal calcium transport would result in decreased bone, we examined the skeletons of these mice. To our surprise, we found no decrease in bone in the Trpv6-null mouse, but a substantial decrease in the Myo1a-null mouse. Double deletions were comparable to the Myo1a null. Moreover, Myo1a but not Trpv6 was expressed in osteoblasts. In vitro, the bone marrow stromal cells from the Myo1a-null mice showed normal numbers of colony-forming units but marked decrements in the formation of alkaline phosphatase-positive colonies and mineralized nodules. We conclude that Myo1a regulates osteoblast differentiation independent of its role, if any, in intestinal calcium transport, whereas Trpv6 functions primarily to promote intestinal calcium transport with little influence in osteoblast function

Re-examination of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) immune response to flagellin : Yersinia ruckeri flagellin is a potent activator of acute phase proteins, anti-microbial peptides and pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro

Acknowledgements E.W. was supported by a PhD studentship from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand and Mahasarakham University. T.W. received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland), that is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011). This research was also funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) of the European Union (grant agreement No. 311993 TARGETFISH).Peer reviewedPostprin

The Transformation of Trust in China’s Alternative Food Networks: Disruption, Reconstruction, and Development

Food safety issues in China have received much scholarly attention, yet few studies systematically examined this matter through the lens of trust. More importantly, little is known about the transformation of different types of trust in the dynamic process of food production, provision, and consumption. We consider trust as an evolving interdependent relationship between different actors. We used the Beijing County Fair, a prominent ecological farmers’ market in China, as an example to examine the transformation of trust in China’s alternative food networks. We argue that although there has been a disruption of institutional trust among the general public since 2008 when the melamine-tainted milk scandal broke out, reconstruction of individual trust and development of organizational trust have been observed, along with the emergence and increasing popularity of alternative food networks. Based on more than six months of fieldwork on the emerging ecological agriculture sector in 13 provinces across China as well as monitoring of online discussions and posts, we analyze how various social factors—including but not limited to direct and indirect reciprocity, information, endogenous institutions, and altruism—have simultaneously contributed to the transformation of trust in China’s alternative food networks. The findings not only complement current social theories of trust, but also highlight an important yet understudied phenomenon whereby informal social mechanisms have been partially substituting for formal institutions and gradually have been building trust against the backdrop of the food safety crisis in China