THE PERSISTENCE OF PROFITABILITY IN THE FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS SECTOR

We evaluate the persistence of incremental industry, firm-specific, and corporate-parent effects on firm profitability across the food and agribusiness sector and further analyze the persistence within four major sectors: processing, wholesale, retail, and restaurant. Results suggest that industry effects are more persistent than corporate effects across the food and agribusiness sector. Results also suggest the retail supermarket sector has had relatively stable profits due to both industry and firm effects during the time period under study. The results have implications with respect to research and extension programs targeted toward educating producers and management about producer-owned businesses.Agribusiness,

DIVERSIFICATION AND FIRM PERFORMANCE IN THE FOOD ECONOMY

The effects of diversification on firm value in the food economy are analyzed within four major sectors: processing, wholesale, retail, and restaurant. We find that diversification in the food economy contributes to positive excess firm value. Processing firms are most likely to diversify while restaurant firms have the largest positive diversification effect.Industrial Organization,

MEASURING INDUSTRY AND FIRM EFFECTS IN FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS FIRMS

Managers craft strategies that, if successfully implemented, can improve profitability and financial performance over time. Can firms repeat their performance over time? If so, then a manager who crafted a successful strategy could expect her/his firm to achieve greater profitability relative to other firms within its industry. The objective of this study was to compare business performance (accounting profitability) for publicly traded and cooperatively-owned food and agribusiness firms. We used the Standard and Poors Compustat database using the methodology of McGahan and Porter's paper which used on 4,112 manufacturing firms. Return on investment for each SIC code in each year was calculated. A regression equation with return on investment as the dependent variable and the average returns on the right hand side were used in a weighted least squares regression. The data was broken out into processing, wholesaling, restaurants, and retail supermarkets. Industry effects are greatest across all business segments and the processing sector. The retail supermarket sector has had relatively stable profits due to both industry and firm effects over time. This would suggest that the retail industry structure is conducive to stable profits and that firms within the industry are able to differentiate themselves, which also contributes to permanence of profits. Our results suggest that industry structure does not contribute to stable profits in the wholesale and restaurant sector. Industry effects are more persistent than corporate effects. These implications are also of interest to land grant universities. Agribusiness economics research and extension programs exist at many land grant universities to educate producers and management about producer-owned businesses. Finally, persistence of profitability in certain firms has long been noted by economists. Further research is needed on identifying characteristics of those firms that contribute to their persistent profits.Agribusiness,

Recognition of abasic sites and single base bulges in DNA by a metalloinsertor

Abasic sites and single base bulges are thermodynamically destabilizing DNA defects that can lead to cancerous transformations if left unrepaired by the cell. Here we discuss the binding properties with abasic sites and single base bulges of Rh(bpy)_2(chrysi)^(3+), a complex previously shown to bind thermodynamically destabilized mismatch sites via metalloinsertion. Photocleavage experiments show that Rh(bpy)_2(chrysi)^(3+) selectively binds abasic sites with affinities of 1−4 × 10^6 M^(−1); specific binding is independent of unpaired base identity but is somewhat contingent on sequence context. Single base bulges are also selectively bound and cleaved, but in this case, the association constants are significantly lower (~10^5 M^(−1)), and the binding is dependent on both unpaired base identity and bulge sequence context. A wide variety of evidence, including strand scission asymmetry, binding enantiospecificity, and MALDI-TOF cleavage fragment analysis, suggests that Rh(bpy)_2(chrysi)^(3+) binds abasic sites, like mismatches, through insertion of the bulky chrysi ligand into the base pair stack from the minor groove side and ejection of the unpaired base. At single base bulge sites, a similar, though not identical, metalloinsertion mode is suggested. The recognition of abasic sites and single base bulges with bulky metalloinsertors holds promise for diagnostic and therapeutic applications

Aspects of management options for pasture-based dairy production stocked at two cows per hectare

End of project reportWhite clover in association with Rhizobium bacteria have the capacity to fix or convent atmospheric N into plant available N. This can make a considerable contribution to sward productivity. One of the objectives of this experiment was to determine the upper carrying capacity of grass-white clover swards receiving 90 kg fertilizer N/ha. A second objective was to examine the impact of grass-clover swards on mineral-N in the soil and losses of nitrate-N from soil to drainage water during the winter. This experiment was conducted at Solohead Research Farm. There were three treatments: (i) A grass-only treatment (FN) stocked at 2.0 cows per ha in 2003 and 2.2 cows per ha during 2004, 2005 and 2006. This treatment received an average of 226 kg per ha of fertilizer N per year during these years. (ii) A grass-clover treatment (WC) stocked at the same rates as FN and received an average of 90 kg per ha of fertilizer N per year during the experiment. (iii) A grass-only treatment (CC) that was gradually converted over to grass-clover during the experiment and stocked at 2.0 cows per ha throughout the experiment. Fertilizer N input was gradually lowered from 150 kg per ha in 2003 to a target of 90 kg per ha in 2005 and 2006

Comparison of thruster configurations in attitude control systems

Several aspects concerning reaction control jet systems as used to govern the attitude of a spacecraft were considered. A thruster configuration currently in use was compared to several new configurations developed in this study. The method of determining the error signals which control the firing of the thrusters was also investigated. The current error determination procedure is explained and a new method is presented. Both of these procedures are applied to each of the thruster configurations which are developed and comparisons of the two methods are made

On the Relationship Between the Value Function and the Efficient Frontier of a Mixed Integer Linear Optimization Problem

In this paper, we investigate the connection between the efficient frontier (EF) of a general multiobjective mixed integer linear optimization problem (MILP) and the so-called restricted value function (RVF) of a closely related single-objective MILP. We demonstrate that the EF of the multiobjective MILP is comprised of points on the boundary of the epigraph of the RVF so that any description of the EF suffices to describe the RVF and vice versa. In the first part of the paper, we describe the mathematical structure of the RVF, including characterizing the set of points at which it is differentiable, the gradients at such points, and the subdifferential at all nondifferentiable points. Because of the close relationship of the RVF to the EF, we observe that methods for constructing so-called value functions and methods for constructing the EF of a multiobjective optimization problem, each of which have been developed in separate communities, are effectively interchangeable. By exploiting this relationship, we propose a generalized cutting plane algorithm for constructing the EF of a multiobjective MILP based on a generalization of an existing algorithm for constructing the classical value function. We prove that the algorithm is finite under a standard boundedness assumption and comes with a performance guarantee if terminated early

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT’S IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY USE BY K-6 EDUCATORS IN A CHINESE CONTEXT: A MIXED METHODS STUDY

K-6 teachers in China face obstacles to using educational technology to improve technology-enhanced, student-centered learning experiences to support the development of 21st century skillsets. This quasi-experimental mixed methods study of primary K-6 teachers at private international schools in China examined outcomes from participation in a technology-focused professional development (PD) program coupled with a community of practice (CoP) relative to their technology self-efficacy, technology competency, technology integration in instruction, and fundamental knowledge of 21st century skills to improve students’ 21st century skillsets. Thirty-seven Chinese (n = 20) and international (n = 17) participants from over 20 different contexts engaged in approximately 21 hours of online PD over seven weeks as well as ongoing discussion in an online CoP through the social communication platform WeChat. Program sessions involved multiple multimedia learning approaches (i.e., PowerPoints, articles, videos, etc.) as well as applicable classroom assignments created by participants related to technology integration in the classroom. Participants received feedback on discussion and assignment work from both peers and the program administrator. The researcher employed pre- and post-intervention measures, including the Educator Technology Self-Efficacy Survey, Technology Beliefs and Competencies Survey, PD scale, 21st Century Skills Teaching Scale, Demographic Survey, and Dose Received Survey. Qualitative data were collected from interview protocols, field notes, and artifacts to understand whether participation in the online PD and CoP impacted participating educators related to their technology integration knowledge and abilities. Findings suggested context varies in the level of support associated with technology integration. The majority of participants highlighting an absence of PD support but varied situations regarding infrastructure, financial, and administrative support in their contexts. A comparison of pre- and post-intervention data with a paired sample t test revealed a statistically significant growth in participants’ technology self-efficacy but no significant improvement in reported technology competency, perceptions of technology integration, perceptions of PD, and 21st century skills knowledge. Qualitative data, however, revealed growth in technology integration and PD as well as 21st century skills knowledge. Additionally, these data described the WeChat CoP as supportive of participants’ engagement in the online PD program. Participants maintained a low rate of participation, which decreased throughout the program due to program workload, accessibility, focus of program content, applicability of content, and participation of the cohort. These key factors require future consideration and research when employing an online PD program. As educational implications, schools need to consider content and grade-level alignment. Also, it is important that schools deliver PD in a longitudinal fashion with ongoing follow-up that focuses on engagement strategies to maintain participation. Keywords: technology integration, professional development, 21st century skills Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Stephen J. Pap

Thioglycosides as inhibitors of hSGLT1 and hSGLT2: Potential therapeutic agents for the control of hyperglycemia in diabetes

The treatment of diabetes has been mainly focused on maintaining normal blood glucose concentrations. Insulin and hypoglycemic agents have been used as standard therapeutic strategies. However, these are characterized by limited efficacy and adverse side effects, making the development of new therapeutic alternatives mandatory. Inhibition of glucose reabsorption in the kidney, mediated by SGLT1 or SGLT2, represents a promising therapeutic approach. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of thioglycosides on human SGLT1 and SGLT2. For this purpose, stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing human SGLT1 and SGLT2 were used. The inhibitory effect of thioglycosides was assessed in transport studies and membrane potential measurements, using α-methyl-glucoside uptake and fluorescence resonance energy transfer, respectively. We found that some thioglycosides inhibited hSGLT more strongly than phlorizin. Specifically, thioglycoside I (phenyl-1'-thio-β-D-glucopyranoside) inhibited hSGLT2 stronger than hSGLT1 and to a larger extent than phlorizin. Thioglycoside VII (2-hydroxymethyl-phenyl-1'-thio-β-D-galacto-pyranoside) had a pronounced inhibitory effect on hSGLT1 but not on hSGLT2. Kinetic studies confirmed the inhibitory effect of these thioglycosides on hSGLT1 or hSGLT2, demonstrating competitive inhibition as the mechanism of action. Therefore, these thioglycosides represent promising therapeutic agents for the control of hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes