Export and Import Price Indices

Export and import price indices are essential for assessing the impact of international trade on the domestic economy. Among their most important uses are analyzing developments in the trade balance, measuring foreign prices' contribution to domestic inflation, and deflating nominal values of exports and imports for estimating the volume of gross domestic product. This paper discusses economic concepts for trade price indices at some length. We note the need for reasonably frequent chaining in view of the fluctuation in the conditioning variables of trade price indices. We characterize the effect of the residency orientation of the index on the substitution biases of the commonly used Laspeyres and Paasche formulas, and superlative formulas, which greatly attenuate these biases. Finally, we consider the data sources and methods used to compile them. Copyright 2004, International Monetary Fund

Understanding the Coping Process from a Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Purpose: To explore conceptual links between the Cognitive-Motivational-Relational Theory of coping (Lazarus, 1991) and Self-Determination Theory of motivation (Deci & Ryan, 1985) Method: We present a very brief overview of the two theories. We also discuss how components from the two theories can be examined together to facilitate research in the health/exercise domain. To this effect, we offer a preliminary integrated model of stress, coping and motivation, based on the two aforementioned theories, in an attempt to illustrate and instigate research on how motivational factors are implicated in the coping process. Conclusion: We believe that the proposed model can serve as a platform for generating new research ideas which, besides their theoretical relevance, may have important applied implications

Psychological needs and the prediction of exercise-related cognitions and affect among an ethnically diverse cohort of adult women

Previous research has highlighted a need for identifying the psychological strategies which best maximize the affective responses to exercise (e.g., Blanchard, Rodgers, & Gauvin, 2004). The present study compared the effects on affective responses of using different imagery types while exercising. Participants (N = 75, mean age = 20.2 years, SD = 1.33) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 imagery conditions (i.e., enjoyment imagery, energy imagery, or technique imagery). Affect was recorded before and after 20 min of moderate intensity cycle ergometry (50% Heart Rate Reserve) using the Exercise-Induced Feeling Inventory (EFI; Gauvin & Rejeski, 1993) and the Feeling Scale (Hardy & Rejeski, 1989). Controlling for affect reported before the exercise bout, the enjoyment imagery group reported significantly higher levels of postexercise valence than the energy and technique imagery groups and higher revitalization than the technique imagery group. These findings indicate that enjoyment imagery could be used to further improve the affective benefits associated with exercise

Interview with Dana Santoso

Dana Santoso is an Indonesian who studied at the University of Queensland on two occasions; in 1989-1993, and in 1999-2003. In both periods of study, he studied on an Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) scholarship, and he completed first a Masters, then a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. The interview was conducted in English on 28 April 2014 by Dr. Jemma Purdey and Prof. David Lowe, both of Deakin University. This set comprises: an interview recording, a photo and a timed summary

Treescapes and Landscapes: The Myth of the Wildwood and its place in the British Past

An 18th century Glamorgan poet, antiquary and literary forger pored through the histories of the Welsh who were the inheritors of ancient Druidic practice. Iolo Morgannwg found precious little to fit his narrative so he invented the missing elements passing it them off as scholarly discovery (Hutton, 2008:253-4). He shaped and manipulated history, tradition and the notion of place and landscape in order to create a series of Druidic festivals to fit his narrative of antiquity. Eco’s (2013: 431) consideration of ‘place’ also tells us that legendary lands depend on “ancient legends whose origins are lost in the mists of time”. Odd then, that many pagan, environmental and neo-eco groups typically adopt an ahistorical view of the human relationship with nature (Letcher 2001:156). Where the past is acknowledged, it is in reference to a “‘golden age,’ of a time when humanity lived in a Rousseau-like state of innocence, in a harmonious relationship with a benevolent nature” (ibid.). This paper is about the rich and complex past of the British landscape and its woodlands. It seeks to act as a signpost for those that engage with treescapes, the wildwood and myth and place and space

The role of Prokineticin 1 in endometrial function

The Endometrium is a dynamic tissue which undergoes cyclical growth in preparation for pregnancy and regression in the absence of pregnancy. In the midsecretory phase of the menstrual cycle, also known as the window of implantation, the endometrium prepares for the implantation of an embryo by undergoing predecidual changes, leukocyte recruitment and increasing the secretory capacity of the epithelial cells. In pregnancy, the embryo secretes human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which maintains progesterone production and has direct effects on the endometrium. Prokineticin 1 (PROK1) is elevated during this transient period and may be a mediator of endometrial receptivity.Prokineticins (PROK1 and PROK2) are pleiotropic proteins with multiple functions including gastrointestinal tract contractility, angiogenesis in the normal and pathological ovary, testis and prostate, noiciceptive sensitisation, transmission of the circadian rhythm of the suprachiasmatic nucleus and immune cell activation. The receptors for the prokineticins (PROKR1 and PROKR2) are two closely related Gprotein coupled receptors. Signalling via these receptors is linked to PLC-ß activation, inositol phosphate mobilisation, ERK 1/2 and Akt phosphorylation and nitric oxide production.Investigation of the temporal pattern of expression of PROK1 and PROKR1 in pregnant and non-pregnant endometrium has shown (a) both factors to be expressed in the normal cycling endometrium with an elevation in PROK1 expression during the secretory phase of the cycle and (b) further elevation of both factors in the pregnant decidua when compared with the non-pregnant endometrium. Expression of PROK1 was down-regulated in endometrial cancer tissue compared with secretory phase endometrium, suggesting PROK1-PROKR1 is not involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. PROK1 and PROKR1 localise to the glandular epithelium, stroma and vasculature of the non-pregnant and pregnant endometrium. Additionally, PROK1 expression was localised in macrophages and uterine natural killer cells within the stromal compartment.In order to investigate signalling and the role of PROK1 in endometrial epithelial cells, an endometrial epithelial cell line (Ishikawa cells) stably expressing PROKR1 was utilised. PROK1-PROKR1 interaction, using this cell line, induced a signalling cascade involving phosphorylation of cSrc, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and ERK 1/2. This cascade to ERK 1/2 phosphorylation was dependent on activation of Gq protein, PLC-ß and Ca²⁺ as well as phosphorylation of cSrc and EGFR and activation of the small GTPase Ras.Gene array analysis was subsequently conducted using RNA extracted from PROKR1 Ishikawa cells treated with vehicle or 40nM PROK1 for 8 hours. Gene array analysis was conducted using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 and the ABI 1700 v.2 Applied Biosystems Human Genome Survey microarrays. A total of 277 genes were differentially expressed in response to PROK1 (226 genes were up-regulated and 51 genes down-regulated). A number of these genes have suggested roles in implantation. These include: cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-11 and Heparin bound-EGF. Two genes, COX-2 and LIF were selected for further investigation in this thesis. In the human endometrium and first trimester decidua, expression of COX-2 and LIF co-localise with PROKR1 to the glandular epithelium and stromal cells. PROK1 induces mRNA expression of both of these factors in a time dependent manner in the PROKR1 Ishikawa cell line and first trimester human decidua. Moreover, prostaglandin production and LIF protein secretion was elevated in response to treatment with PROK1. Using specific inhibitors of cell signalling, the expression of COX-2 and LIF in response to PROK1 was dependent on activation of the Gq-PLC-ß-cSrc-EGFR-MEK signalling pathway. Finally, the expression of PROK1 and LIF in the human endometrium can be mediated by embryonic hCG secretion. Treatment of PROKR1 Ishikawa cells and first trimester decidua with 1IU hCG results in sequential increase in PROK1 and LIF expression.Collectively these data strongly suggest that PROK1-PROKR1 signalling is important (a) in the preparation of the human endometrium for pregnancy by regulating expression of implantation related genes and (b) may perform further functions in early pregnancy under the influence of hCG

'Digital Crafting at CUSTHOM'

In this paper Ooi described her experience of working with digital technologies as an integral part of her own design studio: CUSTHOM, where her business partner and herself design and manufacture wallpapers, fabrics and fine bone china. The core of how we design and make lies in the craft of both digital and hand making, printing by silk screen and block to interpreting stitch weight, direction and length, through digital design programmes for embroidery, to hand metallic foil finishing. Exploiting techniques originally developed for cloth, the author re-interpret these methods of making to capitalise on the benefits and potential of making through a combination of analogue and digital techniques