THE ECONOMICS OF NON-GMO SEGREGATION AND IDENTITY PRESERVATION

We survey grain and soybean handlers and producers in the U.S. and EU to estimate costs of preserving the identities of GMO and non-GMO crops in marketing channels. We introduce our estimates into the IFPRI IMPACT model to simulate the effects of identity preservation on farm incomes and consumer well-being.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

The Development of Approaches to Curriculum Planning to Meet Academic and Professional Objectives

The importance of developing a curriculum which satisfies the broad objectives of professional education has been recognized widely. The balance between enhancing scholarship and developing vocational skills, the importance of relevant evaluation of the curriculum, students and teachers and the place of research in current professional education are all matters worthy of consideration by those responsible for professional education. This paper reflects upon the historic attitudes to education and traces the changes in approach which have been necessary to ensure the provision of appropriate learning experiences for students seeking a professional education today

The Mass Dependance of Satellite Quenching in Milky Way-like Halos

Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we examine the quenching of satellite galaxies around isolated Milky Way-like hosts in the local Universe. We find that the efficiency of satellite quenching around isolated galaxies is low and roughly constant over two orders of magnitude in satellite stellar mass ($M_{*}$ = $10^{8.5}-10^{10.5} \, M_{\odot}$), with only $\sim~20\%$ of systems quenched as a result of environmental processes. While largely independent of satellite stellar mass, satellite quenching does exhibit clear dependence on the properties of the host. We show that satellites of passive hosts are substantially more likely to be quenched than those of star-forming hosts, and we present evidence that more massive halos quench their satellites more efficiently. These results extend trends seen previously in more massive host halos and for higher satellite masses. Taken together, it appears that galaxies with stellar masses larger than about $10^{8}~M_{\odot}$ are uniformly resistant to environmental quenching, with the relative harshness of the host environment likely serving as the primary driver of satellite quenching. At lower stellar masses ($< 10^{8}~M_{\odot}$), however, observations of the Local Group suggest that the vast majority of satellite galaxies are quenched, potentially pointing towards a characteristic satellite mass scale below which quenching efficiency increases dramatically.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

The Interrelation of Spinal Curves, Pelvic Tilt and Muscle Lengths in the Adolescent Female

Thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis and pelvic tilt were measured in standing in one hundred and three adolescent females, using a specially designed inclinometer. Indices of the muscle lengths (abdominals, erector spinae, iliopsoas, gluteals, rectus femoris and hamstrings) were measured using inclinometry and goniometry and expressed as angles of joint position.Multiple regression analysis revealed that the index of erector spinae length was negatively correlated with lumbar lordosis (r = - 0.24, p < 0.05). The abdominal length index was positively correlated with lumbar lordosis (r = 0.209, p < 0.05), and the hamstring length index was negatively correlated with lordosis (r = - 0.213, p < 0.05).No muscle length index was significantly related to pelvic tilt. A negative association between the degree of thoracic kyphosis and the abdominal length index was found (r = -0.245, p < 0.05)

A Dichotomy in Satellite Quenching Around L* Galaxies

We examine the star formation properties of bright (~0.1 L*) satellites around isolated ~L* hosts in the local Universe using spectroscopically confirmed systems in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7. Our selection method is carefully designed with the aid of N-body simulations to avoid groups and clusters. We find that satellites are significantly more likely to be quenched than a stellar mass-matched sample of isolated galaxies. Remarkably, this quenching occurs only for satellites of hosts that are themselves quenched: while star formation is unaffected in the satellites of star-forming hosts, satellites around quiescent hosts are more than twice as likely to be quenched than stellar-mass matched field samples. One implication of this is that whatever shuts down star formation in isolated, passive L* galaxies also plays at least an indirect role in quenching star formation in their bright satellites. The previously-reported tendency for "galactic conformity" in color/morphology may be a by-product of this host-specific quenching dichotomy. The S\'ersic indices of quenched satellites are statistically identical to those of field galaxies with the same specific star formation rates, suggesting that environmental and secular quenching give rise to the same morphological structure. By studying the distribution of pairwise velocities between the hosts and satellites, we find dynamical evidence that passive host galaxies reside in dark matter halos that are ~45% more massive than those of star-forming host galaxies of the same stellar mass. We emphasize that even around passive hosts, the mere fact that galaxies become satellites does not typically result in star formation quenching: we find that only ~30% of ~0.1 L* galaxies that fall in from the field are quenched around passive hosts, compared with ~0% around star forming hosts.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

Automated and semi-automated contact tracing: Protocol for a rapid review of available evidence and current challenges to inform the control of COVID-19

Abstract Introduction Traditional approaches to case-finding, case isolation, and contact tracing methods have so far proved insufficient on their own to prevent the development of local epidemics of COVID-19 in many high-income countries despite relatively advanced public health systems. As a result, many governments have resorted to widespread social distancing measures and mass quarantines (‘lock-downs’) to reduce transmission and to prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed. However, such measures impose heavy human and societal costs. Automated or semi-automated digital contact tracing, in conjunction with scaled-up community testing, has been proposed as a key part of exit strategies from lockdowns. However, the effectiveness of these approaches to contact tracing is unclear, and to be effective, trusted, and widely adopted such technology must overcome several challenges. Methods and analysis We will perform a rapid systematic review to assess the effectiveness of automated and semi-automated digital tools for contact tracing, and identify key considerations for successful implementation, to inform the control of COVID-19. We will search PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO Medical COVID information portal, OVID Global Health, Cochrane Library, medRxiv, BioRxiv, and arXiv for peer-reviewed and pre-print papers on automated or semi-automated digital tools for contact tracing of COVID-19, another respiratory disease with pandemic potential (limited to SARS, MERS, or pandemic influenza), or Ebola, in human populations. Studies will be eligible if published in English between 1 January 2000 and 14 April 2020. We will synthesise study findings narratively and will consider meta-analysis if ≥ 3 suitable studies with comparable interventions and outcomes are available. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is not required for this review. We plan to disseminate findings via pre-print, journal publication, through social media and web-based platforms and through direct stakeholder engagement

Spatial adjustments in the Teesside economy, 1851-81

PhD ThesisThis study is concerned with spatial change in a reg, - ional economy during a period of industrialization and rapid growth. It focuses on two main issues : the spatial pattl-rn of economic growth, and the locational adjustments induced and required by that process in individual sectors of the economy. Conceptually, therefore, the thesis belongs to the category of economic development studies, but it also makes an empirical contribution to knowledge of Teesside in a crucial period of the regionts history. In the first place, it was deemed necessary to establish that economic growth did occur on Teesside between 1851 and 1881. To that end, use was made of a number of indirect indices of economic performance. These included population change, net migration, urbanization and changes in the empl. oyment structure of the region. It was found that these indicators provided evidence of economic growth, and evidence that growth was concentrated in and around existing urban centres and in those rural areas which had substantial mineral resources. To facilitate the examination of locational change in individual sectors of the economy - in mining, agriculture, manufacturing and the tertiary industries -, the actual spatial patterns were compared with theoretical models based on the several branches of location theory. In general, the models proved to be useful tools for furthering understanding of the patterns of economic activity and for predicting the types of change likely to be experienced during industrial revolution. Thus, the spatial development of mining and manufacturing on Tee3side was governed by the cost factor. and advantage was generally taker. of any opportunity to reduce costs. Agriculture, however, was more responsive to national than regional conditions, and f--tted the appropriate location model less closely, As would be expected, the central place system expanded in the economically buoyant urban areas, where population and economic growth were concentrated, and contracted in rural districts dependent on farming

Planning for clinical research

The need to initiate research projects in physiotherapy is being recognized throughout the world, while a growing interest is being shown by physiotherapists in undertaking studies appropriate to the areas of medicine. Many writers have urged the profession to accept its responsibility for contributing to the advancement of knowledge and it is to be hoped that an increasing number of physiotherapists will respond to this challenge

The impact of a pharmacist on post-take ward round prescribing and medication appropriateness

Background Medication communication and prescribing on the post-take ward round following patient admission to hospital can be suboptimal leading to worse patient outcomes. Objective To evaluate the impact of clinical pharmacist participation on the post-take ward round on the appropriateness of medication prescribing, medication communication, and overall patient health care outcomes. Setting Tertiary referral teaching hospital, Brisbane, Australia. Method A pre-post intervention study was undertaken that compared the addition of a senior clinical pharmacist attending the post-take ward was compared to usual wardbase pharmacist service, with no pharmacist present of the post-take ward round. We assessed the proportion of patients with an improvement in medication appropriateness from admission to discharge, using the START/STOPP checklists. Medication communication was assessed by the mean number of brief and in-depth discussions, with health care outcomes measured by comparing length of stay and 28-day readmission rates. Main outcome measures: Medication appropriateness according to the START/STOPP list, number and type of discussions with team members and length of stay and readmission rate. Results Two hundred and sixty patients were recruited (130 pre- and 130-post-intervention), across 23 and 20 post-take ward rounds, respectively. Post-intervention, there was increase in the proportion of patients who had an improvement medication appropriateness (pre-intervention 25.4%, post-intervention 36.9%; p = 0.004), the number of in-depth discussions about patients’ medication (1.9 ± 1.7 per patient pre-intervention, 2.7 ± 1.7 per patient post-, p < 0.001), and the number relating to high-risk medications (0.71 ± 1.1 per patient pre-intervention, to 1.2 ± 1.2 per patient post-, p < 0.05). Length of stay and 28-day mortality were unchanged. Conclusion Clinical pharmacist participation on the post-take ward round leads to improved medication-related communication and improved medication appropriateness but did not significantly improve health care outcomes

Triton's surface age and impactor population revisited in light of Kuiper Belt fluxes: Evidence for small Kuiper Belt objects and recent geological activity

Neptune's largest satellite, Triton, is one of the most fascinating and enigmatic bodies in the solar system. Among its numerous interesting traits, Triton appears to have far fewer craters than would be expected if its surface was primordial. Here we combine the best available crater count data for Triton with improved estimates of impact rates by including the Kuiper Belt as a source of impactors. We find that the population of impactors creating the smallest observed craters on Triton must be sub-km in scale, and that this small-impactor population can be best fit by a differential power-law size index near -3. Such results provide interesting, indirect probes of the unseen small body population of the Kuiper Belt. Based on the modern, Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud impactor flux estimates, we also recalculate estimated ages for several regions of Triton's surface imaged by Voyager 2, and find that Triton was probably active on a time scale no greater than 0.1-0.3 Gyr ago (indicating Triton was still active after some 90% to 98% of the age of the solar system), and perhaps even more recently. The time-averaged volumetric resurfacing rate on Triton implied by these results, 0.01 km$^3$ yr$^{-1}$ or more, is likely second only to Io and Europa in the outer solar system, and is within an order of magnitude of estimates for Venus and for the Earth's intraplate zones. This finding indicates that Triton likely remains a highly geologically active world at present, some 4.5 Gyr after its formation. We briefly speculate on how such a situation might obtain.Comment: 14 pages (TeX), plus 2 postscript figures Stern & McKinnon, 2000, AJ, in pres