An Evaluation of the Cost and Effectiveness of Repellent Applications in Protecting Fruit Orchards

A summer repellent spray program was devised and implemented on a total of 110 acres (9 orchard blocks) of 1- to 3-year-old semi-dwarf apple trees. Cooperating growers were supplied with repellent (Hinder or Clearepel) as required, to allow them to adhere to a flexible 3-to 6-application schedule from May through August. Spraying costs, including labor, equipment, and spray materials, were estimated based on data provided by each cooperating grower for each application completed

ASSESSING DEER DAMAGE IN YOUNG FRUIT ORCHARDS

Evaluations of systematic damage assessments of 5, 10 and 20 percent of all apple trees in 12 orchards were compared. The 10% assessment technique was selected as the most accurate and efficient in estimating summer and fall damage. Analysis of several parameters of tree vigor found significant differences between browsed and unbrowsed trees for tree basal diameter and central leader diameter over 2 successive years. These subtle yet important differences in tree development were felt to severely limit the possibilities of relating browsing to growth and. later, yields. Methods and considerations for making control decisions on a per acre basis are discussed

Investigation of NRXN1 deletions: Clinical and molecular characterization

Deletions at 2p16.3 involving exons of NRXN1 are associated with susceptibility for autism and schizophrenia, and similar deletions have been identified in individuals with developmental delay and dysmorphic features. We have identified 34 probands with exonic NRXN1 deletions following referral for clinical microarray‐based comparative genomic hybridization. To more firmly establish the full phenotypic spectrum associated with exonic NRXN1 deletions, we report the clinical features of 27 individuals with NRXN1 deletions, who represent 23 of these 34 families. The frequency of exonic NRXN1 deletions among our postnatally diagnosed patients (0.11%) is significantly higher than the frequency among reported controls (0.02%; P  = 6.08 × 10 −7 ), supporting a role for these deletions in the development of abnormal phenotypes. Generally, most individuals with NRXN1 exonic deletions have developmental delay (particularly speech), abnormal behaviors, and mild dysmorphic features. In our cohort, autism spectrum disorders were diagnosed in 43% (10/23), and 16% (4/25) had epilepsy. The presence of NRXN1 deletions in normal parents and siblings suggests reduced penetrance and/or variable expressivity, which may be influenced by genetic, environmental, and/or stochastic factors. The pathogenicity of these deletions may also be affected by the location of the deletion within the gene. Counseling should appropriately represent this spectrum of possibilities when discussing recurrence risks or expectations for a child found to have a deletion in NRXN1 . © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97220/1/35780_ftp.pd

A recurrent 16p12.1 microdeletion supports a two-hit model for severe developmental delay.

We report the identification of a recurrent, 520-kb 16p12.1 microdeletion associated with childhood developmental delay. The microdeletion was detected in 20 of 11,873 cases compared with 2 of 8,540 controls (P = 0.0009, OR = 7.2) and replicated in a second series of 22 of 9,254 cases compared with 6 of 6,299 controls (P = 0.028, OR = 2.5). Most deletions were inherited, with carrier parents likely to manifest neuropsychiatric phenotypes compared to non-carrier parents (P = 0.037, OR = 6). Probands were more likely to carry an additional large copy-number variant when compared to matched controls (10 of 42 cases, P = 5.7 x 10(-5), OR = 6.6). The clinical features of individuals with two mutations were distinct from and/or more severe than those of individuals carrying only the co-occurring mutation. Our data support a two-hit model in which the 16p12.1 microdeletion both predisposes to neuropsychiatric phenotypes as a single event and exacerbates neurodevelopmental phenotypes in association with other large deletions or duplications. Analysis of other microdeletions with variable expressivity indicates that this two-hit model might be more generally applicable to neuropsychiatric disease

CURRENT STATUS OF DEER FENCING IN THE NORTHEAST

The recent development of high tensile electric fencing for controlling deer damage has led to the installation of these fence designs throughout the Northeast. In May 1984. 55 surveys were sent to individuals in 10 states who were known to have recently constructed deer fences. Sixty-seven percent of the surveys were returned and a variety of fence-related data were generated. These include information on deer damage, a general description of fence designs being utilized, information concerning fence voltage, data on fence maintenance and several questions on fence performance, owner satisfaction, and the cost/benefits of deer damage control. The majority of fences in this study were either 5-strand vertical (40%) or 7-strand slant (33%). Slanted fences enclosed more acreage and longer rotational crops than vertical fences. Most fence owners indicated that maintenance activities were routinely carried out and that fence performance was excellent. However, the majority of fence owners reported that deer penetration did occur. The results of the survey contradicted, to some extent, data and field observations collected by the authors in southeastern New York over the past five years. An unpublished study of 12 high-tensile fences, most of which were also reported on in the survey, revealed significant differences in wire tension, bottom wire height, and voltage between and within these fences. This study indicates that many fences are actually in poor operating condition and are in need of better maintenance. Possible reasons for the widespread owner satisfaction with fences which appear to be operating at below-optimum levels are discussed

Homeland security: a case study in risk aversion for public decision-making

Governments and their regulatory agencies normally exhibit risk-neutral attitudes in their decision-making. However, for low probability-high consequence events many decision-makers tend to be risk-averse because of the catastrophic or dire nature of the hazard or event. The degree of risk averseness can be described by utility theory. This paper will infer utility functions that reflect the level of risk averseness of regulatory agencies when adopting new safety measures – such as investing $75 billion per year of the homeland security budget to avert terrorist attacks in the USA. The utility analysis considers threat probability, risk reduction caused by regulatory action, cost of regulatory action, and losses. The expected utilities using an identical risk-averse utility function for: 1) no enhanced security expenditure; 2) regulatory action associated with$75 billion of enhanced homeland security expenditure are compared and made equal to each other by modifying the risk-averse utility function. This means that both policy options are equally preferable so if the decision-maker is more risk-averse than suggested by the risk-averse utility function then regulatory action is preferable. It will be shown that the level of risk averseness needed to justify current expenditures for homeland security is considerable

Risk acceptability and cost-effectiveness of protective measures against terrorist threats to built infrastructure considering multiple threat scenarios

Decisions are often needed about the need and/or extent of protective measures against explosive blast loads on built infrastructure. A decision support analysis considers fatality risks and cost-effectiveness of protective measures expressed in terms of expected cost spent on risk reduction per life saved for terrorist threats to infrastructure. The analysis is applicable to any item of infrastructure, but in this paper is applied to casualties arising from building facade glazing damage. Risks may be compared with risk acceptance criteria in the form of quantitative safety goals. The risk acceptability and cost-effectiveness of protective measures includes cost of the protective measures, attack probability, reduction in risk due to protective measures, probability of fatality conditional on successful terrorist attack and number of exposed individuals

Prioritizing a research agenda on built environments and physical activity: a twin panel Delphi consensus process with researchers and knowledge users

BACKGROUND: The growth of urban dwelling populations globally has led to rapid increases of research and policy initiatives addressing associations between the built environment and physical activity (PA). Given this rapid proliferation, it is important to identify priority areas and research questions for moving the field forward. The objective of this study was to identify and compare research priorities on the built environment and PA among researchers and knowledge users (e.g., policy makers, practitioners).METHODS: Between September 2022 and April 2023, a three-round, modified Delphi survey was conducted among two independent panels of international researchers (n = 38) and knowledge users (n = 23) to identify similarities and differences in perceived research priorities on the built environment and PA and generate twin 'top 10' lists of the most important research needs.RESULTS: From a broad range of self-identified issues, both panels ranked in common the most pressing research priorities including stronger study designs such as natural experiments, research that examines inequalities and inequities, establishing the cost effectiveness of interventions, safety and injuries related to engagement in active transportation (AT), and considerations for climate change and climate adaptation. Additional priorities identified by researchers included: implementation science, research that incorporates Indigenous perspectives, land-use policies, built environments that support active aging, and participatory research. Additional priorities identified by knowledge users included: built environments and PA among people living with disabilities and a need for national data on trip chaining, multi-modal travel, and non-work or school-related AT.CONCLUSIONS: Five common research priorities between the two groups emerged, including (1) to better understand causality, (2) interactions with the natural environment, (3) economic evaluations, (4) social disparities, and (5) preventable AT-related injuries. The findings may help set directions for future research, interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations, and funding opportunities.</p