First and Second Mover Advantage in Asymmetric Price Duopoly

We consider the issue of first versus second mover advantage in differentiated-product Bertrand duopoly with asymmetric linear costs. We provide a generalization of some well-known results in the cases where prices are strategic substitutes or complements, dispensing with extraneous assumptions of single-valued optimal reactions, uniqueness of Bertrand equilibrium, ... We also consider a new mixed case. Our approach is based on the theory of supermodular optimization/games. Furthermore, we show that even when prices are strategic complemnts, one firm may have a first mover advantage under a linear demand.

Teachers' use of students' first language in primary school English as a foreign language classroom : a study of Russian-language school in Estonia

This thesis is a study of teachers' use of students' mother tongue (Russian) in English-language classrooms in one Russian-language school in Estonia. The aim of the study is to find out the amount and functions of the mother tongue use by the teachers in the primary English as a foreign language classroom. In order to gain the data for the study, three primary classroom English language lessons were observed and analysed in detail using the word-count method and the functional analysis of the teachers' utterances. Lesson observations were followed by the semi-structured interviews with the teachers. The teachers' answers about their classroom practice were compared to the observation data. The Introduction of this study provides a brief insight into the topic of the role of the first language in foreign language teaching, presents the rationale for the research and gives an overview of the structure of the paper. The first chapter discusses the findings of the previous research concerning the amount and the main purposes for using the first language in the English as a foreign language classroom. The second chapter gives an overview of the participants, the data gathering methods and its analysis. The third chapter focuses on presenting and analysing the lesson observation data and the interviews with the teachers. The fourth chapter provides an evaluation of the research findings in the light of previous research. The Conclusion summarises the findings of the study.https://www.ester.ee/record=b5156590*es

Synthetic and molecular genetic approaches in plant hormone research

Phytohormones govern plant physiology, environmental adaptation and phenotypic plasticity.  Hormone auxin is critical for growth at every stage of plant’s life, from seed germination to fruit ripening.  We investigated the relative roles of local auxin biosynthesis and polar transport in plant development using a variety of experimental approaches: pharmacological treatments with chemical inhibitors of auxin biosynthesis and transport, an array of auxin transport and production mutants, ectopic expression of auxin biosynthetic genes under the control of tissue-specific promoters, inducible CRE-LOX systems, recombineering-based whole-gene fusions with fluorescent protein reporters, and grafting. Our data indicate that local auxin biosynthesis acts redundantly and synergistically with auxin transport in the establishment and maintenance of robust morphogenic auxin maxima essential for root meristem activity, flower and leaf development. Plant architecture is, however, controlled by a combination of hormones.  To enable monitoring of the sites of activity of several growth regulators at once, we are building tandems of compatible synthetic transcriptional sensors stacked in a single construct. Our collection of over a hundred GoldenBraid-compatible DNA parts includes synthetic hormone-responsive promoters, synthetic and viral core promoter elements and terminators, various fluorescent, luminescent and colorimetric markers, and subcellular localization signals. We have assembled and are testing the first ACE (auxin/cytokinin/ethylene) sensor, with the ultimate goal to multiplex the reporters for up to nine major growth regulators (ACE plus ABA, gibberellins, brassinosteroids, salicylic acid, jasmonate, and/or strigolactones), with an individual hormone readout distinguishable by fluorescent protein color and subcellular localization.Conferencia impartida con una ayuda de los fondos para conferenciantes del Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Threshold public good games and impulse balance theory

We propose and develop a model of behavior in threshold public good games. The model draws on learning direction theory and impulse balance theory. We find good support for the model and demonstrate that it can explain the success rates observed in threshold public good experiments. The model is applied in a variety of dierent settings : we compare games with a full refund to those with no refund, consider changes in relative endowment, and consider changes in the step return and net reward.Public good, threshold, learning direction theory, impulse balance theory, counterfactual thinking

Hormone-Mediated Gene-Specific Translation Regulation

The central role of translation regulation in the control of critical cellular processes has long been recognized. Yet the systematic exploration of quantitative changes in translation at a genome-wide scale in response to specific stimuli has only recently become technically feasible. Using a genetic approach, we have identified new Arabidopsis weak-ethylene insensitive mutants that also display defects in translation, which suggested the existence of a previously unknown molecular module involved in ethylene-mediated translation regulation of components of this signaling pathway. To explore this link in detail, we implemented for Arabidopsis the ribosome-footprinting technology, which enables the study of translation at a whole-genome level at single codon resolution[1]. Using ribosome-footprinting we examined the effects of short exposure to ethylene on the Arabidopsis translatome looking for ethylene-triggered changes in translation rates that could not be explained by changes in transcript levels. The results of this research, in combination with the characterization of a subset of the aforementioned weak-ethylene insensitive mutants that are defective in the UPF genes (core-components of the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay machinery), uncovered a translation-based branch of the ethylene signaling pathway[2]. In the presence of ethylene, translation of a negative regulator of ethylene signaling EBF2 is repressed, despite induced transcription of this gene. These translational effects of ethylene require the long 3´UTR of EBF2 (3´EBF2), which is recognized by the C-terminal end of the key ethylene-signaling protein EIN2 (EIN2C) in the cytoplasm once EIN2C is released from the ER-membrane by proteolytic cleavage. EIN2C binds the 3´EBF2, recruits the UPF proteins and moves to P-bodies, where the translation of EBF2 in inhibited despite its mRNA accumulation. Once the ethylene signal is withdrawn, the translation of the stored EBF2 mRNAs is resumed, thus rapidly dampening the ethylene response. These findings represent a mechanistic paradigm of gene-specific regulation of translation in response to a key growth regulator. Translation regulatory elements can be located in both 3′ and 5′ UTRs. We are now focusing on the ead1 and ead2 mutants, another set of ethylene-signaling mutants defective in translational regulation. Ribosome-footprinting on the ead1 mutant revealed an accumulation of translating ribosomes in the 5´UTRs of uORF-containing genes and reduction in the levels of ribosomes in the main ORF. The mutant is also impaired in the translation of GFP when this reporter is fused to WT 5´UTR of potential EAD1 targets but not when GFP is fused to the uORF-less versions of the same 5´UTRs. Our hypothesis is that EAD1/2 work as a complex that is required for the efficient translation of mRNAs that have common structural (complex 5´UTR with uORFs) and functional (regulation of key cellular processes) features. We are working towards the identification of the conditions where the EAD1 regulation of translation is required. [1] Ingolia, N. et al. (2009) Genome-Wide Analysis in Vivo of Translation with Nucleotide Resolution Using Ribosome Profiling. Science, 324; 218-222 [2] Merchante, C. et al. (2015) Gene-Specific Translation Regulation Mediated by the Hormone-Signaling Molecule EIN2. Cell, 163(3): 684-697Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Effect of monovalent cations on the kinetics of hypoxic conformational change of mitochondrial complex I

AbstractMitochondrial complex I is a large, membrane-bound enzyme central to energy metabolism, and its dysfunction is implicated in cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. An interesting feature of mammalian complex I is the so-called A/D transition, when the idle enzyme spontaneously converts from the active (A) to the de-active, dormant (D) form. The A/D transition plays an important role in tissue response to ischemia and rate of the conversion can be a crucial factor determining outcome of ischemia/reperfusion. Here, we describe the effects of alkali cations on the rate of the D-to-A transition to define whether A/D conversion may be regulated by sodium.At neutral pH (7–7.5) sodium resulted in a clear increase of rates of activation (D-to-A conversion) while other cations had minor effects. The stimulating effect of sodium in this pH range was not caused by an increase in ionic strength. EIPA, an inhibitor of Na+/H+ antiporters, decreased the rate of D-to-A conversion and sodium partially eliminated this effect of EIPA. At higher pH (>8.0), acceleration of the D-to-A conversion by sodium was abolished, and all tested cations decreased the rate of activation, probably due to the effect of ionic strength.The implications of this finding for the mechanism of complex I energy transduction and possible physiological importance of sodium stimulation of the D-to-A conversion at pathophysiological conditions in vivo are discussed

ASSESSMENT OF RARE EPIPHYTIC LIVERWORT TRANSPLANTATION METHOD IN POPULUS TREMULA FOREST

Epiphytic bryophytes are important biodiversity elements in forest ecosystems globally. In addition, bryophytes take part in ecosystem functioning and are excellent environmental indicators. Almost half of the red-listed bryophyte distribution in Latvia is related to forest habitats. However, despite the increasing knowledge about epiphyte ecology, we are lacking information about individual rare species environmental demands. The present study aimed to evaluate the transplant disc method in rare liverwort transplantation success in aspen forest. As a result, we found that the transplant disc method can be used in epiphytic liverwort studies, but improvements are recommended in sealant selection for transplantation. Liverwort transplants were sensitive to changed substrate quality. Although transplant physiological stress during the transplantation experiment could be important. Epiphyte transplantation studies could help to test epiphyte sensitivity to global climate change in the future

Ostracod species of the genus <em>Cytheropteron</em> from late Pleistocene-Holocene and recent sediments of the Laptev Sea (Arctic Siberia)

Sixteen species of the genus Cytheropteron from the Laptev Sea Late Pleistocene, Holocene deposits and Recent surface sediments have been described. Analysis of the literature on this subject and the collections of O.M.Lev from St. Petersburg, together with our own material from the Laptev Sea, allowed us to introduce certain changes in the taxonomy of this genus. One species Cytheropteron laptevensis Stepanova sp. nov. is described as new

Recent Ostracoda from the Laptev Sea (Arctic Siberia): Species assemblages and some environmental applications

Ostracod assemblages from coretop sediments collected at 26 localities at different depths of the Laptev Sea shelf and upper continental slope were investigated for assemblage studies. A total of 41 species belonging to 19 genera and 12 families have been identified. Three assemblages have been established that could be linked to environmental factors such as water depth, bottom salinities, water mass circulation and sea-ice transportation. The species-rich and abundant assemblages of the western and central Laptev Sea were related to the Atlantic waters occupying the upper continental slope. These include relatively deep-water forms that show clear affinities to North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean assemblages (Cytheropteron biconvexa, C. testudo, C. simplex, C. nodosoalatum, C. inflatum, C. porterae, Krithe glacialis, K. minima, Pseudocythere caudata, Polycope punctata, P. orbicularis). In the eastern middle shelf region, the assemblage is comprised of Acanthocythereis dunelmensis together with other normal marine species (Semicytherura complanata, Elofsonella concinna, Cluthia cluthae). This assemblage seems connected to the winter flaw polynya which is believed to be the main area of sediment entrainment into sea ice. The inner shelf assemblage of the southern Laptev Sea is dominated by shallow-water euryhaline species (Paracyprideis pseudopunctillata and Heterocyprideis sorbyana) with admixture of the brackish-water species Roundstonia macchesneyi. The unusual occurrence of a number of shallow-water ostracod species on the upper continental slope may be explained by ice-rafting which these ostracods are probably able to survive