Control of Invasive Species: Lessons from Miconia in Hawaii

Once established, invasive species can rapidly and irreversibly alter ecosystems and degrade the value of ecosystem services. Optimal control of an exotic pest solves for a trajectory of removals that minimizes the present value of removal costs and residual damages from the remaining pest population. The shrubby tree, Miconia calvescens, is used to illustrate dynamic policy options for a forest invader. Potential damages to Hawaii's forest ecosystems are related to decreased aquifer recharge, biodiversity, and other ecosystem values. We find that population reduction is the optimal management policy for the islands of Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii. On the island of Kauai, where tree density is lower and search costs higher, optimal policy calls for deferring removal expenditures until the steady state population is reached.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Empirical Investigation of Flexible Pricing and Payment Alternatives on Canadian Wheat Board Pooling for Wheat

Crop Production/Industries, Marketing,

Prevention, Eradication, and Containment of Invasive Species: Illustrations from Hawaii

Invasive species change ecosystems and the economic services such ecosystems provide. Optimal policy will minimize the expected damages and costs of prevention and control. We seek to explain policy outcomes as a function of biological and economic factors, using the case of Hawaii to illustrate. First, we consider an existing invader, Miconia calvescens, a plant with the potential to reduce biodiversity, soil cover, and water availability. We then examine an imminent threat, the potential arrival of the Brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis). The arrival of the snake in Guam has led to native bird extirpations, power outages, and health costs.invasive species, bioeconomics, optimal control, Miconia calvescens, Boiga, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Alu Dimorphism at the PV92 Locus of Chromosome 16 is in Equilibrium for University Student Population

Alu is a retrotransposable element, which refers to its ability to be copied and move from one region of DNA to another DNA region. At the PV92 locus of chromosome 16, Alu is a 300 bp dimorphic insert that can either be present or absent. It does not encode a protein product and has lost the ability to transpose. It is specific to humans, and differences in genotype and allele frequencies between human populations are important tools in understanding evolution. In this research, data was obtained and analyzed from 269 students at Charleston Southern University (CSU) belonging to four different races: Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, and White. Standard molecular biology procedures were used to isolate DNA from epithelial cheek cells, detect Alu inserts using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and determine genotypes by gel electrophoresis. Statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel, and chi square and Hardy-Weinberg equations were used to test for goodness of fit and equilibrium, respectively. The results were separated by genotypes: homozygous present, heterozygous, or homozygous absent. Homozygous absent was the most common genotype. Results were further separated into categories of gender and race. No significant genotype differences were found between male and female or between Black and White students. Nevertheless, there were significant differences between all other race combinations. Hardy-Weinberg calculations indicate that mutations, natural selection, nonrandom mating, genetic drift, and gene flow are negligible, and the overall student population at CSU is in equilibrium

The Spatial Linkages of Manufacturing in Montreal and its Surroundings

Il est généralement admis que la force d'agglomération dans une concentration industrielle s'exprime par des liaisons fonctionnelles (transactions) entre les établissements de la région. Cet article examine quelques aspects de ce postulat. Il étudie d'abord l'interdépendance « matérielle » dans le domaine de la fabrication en vue de déterminer la force d'agglomération propre à Montréal. Les établissements sont considérés selon leur taille et leur localisation dans le complexe industriel de façon à déceler s'il existe ou non des rapports entre ces facteurs, la force de liaison et l'économie locale.Le système des liaisons reste faible dans l'ensemble à Montréal, mais il appert que la force de liaison est inversement proportionnelle à la taille des établissements. On avait cru que cette force aurait diminué du centre vers la périphérie du complexe industriel. Or, ce n'est généralement pas le cas ; dans le domaine des achats, c'est même le contraire. L'auteur propose une explication, mais il faudrait plus de recherches pour mieux cerner le problème.It has generally been believed that the postulated agglomerative force of industrial concentrations expresses itself in economies in the transactions (linkages) between firms in the same concentration. This paper examines aspects of this long-held idea by considering material linkages of manufacturing in Montréal with a view to ascertaining the agglomerative strength of Montréal in regard to these linkages. More importantly, establishments are considered according to size and to location within the industrial complex in order to establish whether or not there is a relationship between these factors and the strength of linkage with the local economy.The overall linkage with Montréal is weak, but there is no doubt that the strength of linkage with Montréal varies inversely with the size of establishments. It was anticipated that the strength of linkage with Montréal would diminish from the centre to the edge of the industrial complex. In general, this does not prove to be true. In the case of purchase linkages the opposite occurs. Tentative explanation is given but further investigation is needed

Multi-lectin Affinity Chromatography and Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveal Differential Glycoform Levels between Prostate Cancer and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Sera.

Currently prostate-specific antigen is used for prostate cancer (PCa) screening, however it lacks the necessary specificity for differentiating PCa from other diseases of the prostate such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), presenting a clinical need to distinguish these cases at the molecular level. Protein glycosylation plays an important role in a number of cellular processes involved in neoplastic progression and is aberrant in PCa. In this study, we systematically interrogate the alterations in the circulating levels of hundreds of serum proteins and their glycoforms in PCa and BPH samples using multi-lectin affinity chromatography and quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Specific lectins (AAL, PHA-L and PHA-E) were used to target and chromatographically separate core-fucosylated and highly-branched protein glycoforms for analysis, as differential expression of these glycan types have been previously associated with PCa. Global levels of CD5L, CFP, C8A, BST1, and C7 were significantly increased in the PCa samples. Notable glycoform-specific alterations between BPH and PCa were identified among proteins CD163, C4A, and ATRN in the PHA-L/E fraction and among C4BPB and AZGP1 glycoforms in the AAL fraction. Despite these modest differences, substantial similarities in glycoproteomic profiles were observed between PCa and BPH sera

Gender and the evaluation of research

This study examines if and how gender relates to research evaluation via panel assessment and journal ratings lists. Using data from UK business schools we find no evidence that the proportion of women in a submission for panel assessment affected the score received by the submitting institution. However, we do find that women on average receive lower scores according to some journal ratings lists. There are important differences in the rated quality of journals that men and women publish in across the sub-disciplines with men publishing significantly more research in the highest rated accountancy, information management and strategy journals. In addition, women who are able to utilise networks to co-author with individuals outside their institution are able to publish in higher-rated journals, although the same is not true for men; women who are attributed with “individual staff circumstances” (e.g. maternity leave or part-time working) have lower scores according to journal ratings lists

Harmonising topographic & remotely sensed datasets, a reference dataset for shoreline and beach change analysis.

This paper presents a novel reference dataset for North Norfolk, UK, that demonstrates the value of harmonising coastal field-based topographic and remotely sensed datasets at local scales. It is hoped that this reference dataset and the associated methodologies will facilitate the use of topographic and remotely sensed coastal datasets, as demonstrated here using open-access UK Environment Agency datasets. Two core methodologies, used to generate the novel reference dataset, are presented. Firstly, we establish a robust approach to extracting shorelines from vertical aerial photography, validated against LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and coastal topography surveys. Secondly, we present a standard methodology for quantifying sediment volume change from spatially continuous LiDAR elevation datasets. As coastal systems are monitored at greater spatial resolution and temporal frequency there is an unprecedented opportunity to determine how and why coastal systems have changed in the past with a view to informing future forecasting. With revelation of trends that suggest increasing coastal risk, coastal change research is needed to inform the management and protection of coasts

Non-symmetric liquid crystal dimer containing a carbohydrate-based moiety

Peer reviewedPublisher PD