Evidence for Differential Rotation on a T Tauri Star

Five years of photometric monitoring of the T Tauri star HBC 338 in NGC 1333 has revealed that it is a periodic variable, but the period has changed significantly with time. From 2000-2003, a period near 5.6 days was observed, while in the last two seasons, the dominant period is near 4.6 days. No other T Tauri star has been seen to change its period by such a large percentage. We propose a model in which a differentially rotating star is seen nearly equator-on and a high latitude spot has gradually been replaced by a low latitude spot. We show that this model provides an excellent fit to the observed shapes of the light curves at each epoch. The amplitude and sense of the inferred differential rotation is similar to what is seen on the Sun. This may be surprising given the likely high degree of magnetic surface activity on the star relative to the Sun but we note that HBC 338 is clearly an exceptional T Tauri star.Comment: Acepted for publication in PAS

Are Urban Consumers in China Ready to Accept Biotech Foods?

Based on a large-scale survey conducted in 11 large and small eastern cities in 2002, this study employs ordered probit models to estimate the effects of demographic and socio-economic variables on the likelihood of biotech food acceptance in China. This study also employs a dichotomous choice model to estimate consumers' mean willingness to pay (WTP) for biotech foods, including soybean oil and insect-resistant biotech rice. This survey reaffirms that Chinese urban consumers had a low awareness of biotechnology. Despite the low level of awareness, a great majority of respondents had favorable or neutral attitudes toward biotech foods. Only 5-15 percent was strongly or relatively opposed to biotech foods. Results from the models suggest that mid- and small-city consumers were more supportive of the use of biotech foods than large-city consumers. In addition, consumers with poorer health were less willing to accept biotech foods. Those consumers who trusted the accuracy of media information were also more willing to accept biotech foods. A majority-60 percent or higher-of the respondents were willing to purchase biotech foods without any price discounts. However, about 20 percent would only accept non-biotech foods. Results of the WTP analysis suggest that the likely price premiums that respondents are willing to pay for non-biotech foods averaged around 23.4 percent in the case of soybean oil and 41.5 percent for rice. Mean WTPs estimated from this study are likely to be overstated due in part to the hypothetical nature of the survey data.biotech foods, ordered probit model, consumer acceptance, willingness to pay, China, Consumer/Household Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Q11, Q13,

Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Biotech Foods in China

Based on a large-scale consumer survey, this study employs a semi-double-bounded dichotomous choice model to estimate the mean willingness to pay (WTP) for biotech foods in China. The study also accounts for the effects of respondents' characteristics on the probability of purchasing biotech foods and WTP. Analyses focus on biotech soybean oil and insect-resistant biotech rice.Biotech foods, willingness to pay, China, contingent valuation method, semi-double-bounded dichotomous choice model, Consumer/Household Economics,

Commercialization of Herbicide-Tolerant Soybeans in China: Perverse Domestic and International Trade Effects

Replaced with revised version of paper 06/12/07.Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade,

Physical Function and Quality of Life After Resection of Mobile Spine Chondrosarcoma.

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study. Objectives:(1) To assess patient-reported outcomes-physical function, pain, and quality of life-in patients who underwent resection of a mobile spine chondrosarcoma. (2) To assess complications (90 days), readmissions, reoperations, oncological outcomes, and neurologic status. Methods:Thirty-three patients with spinal conventional chondrosarcoma resection between 1984 and 2014 at one hospital were included. The primary outcome measures were-minimally 6 months after surgery-the EuroQol 5 Dimensions (EQ5D), PROMIS-Physical Function, PROMIS-Pain Intensity, and Oswestry (ODI) Disability Index, or Neck (NDI) Disability established in 14 out of 20 alive (70.0%) patients. Complications, readmission, reoperations, oncological outcomes, and neurological status were reported for the complete cohort of 33 patients. Results:After spine chondrosarcoma resection, patients (n = 14) reported worse physical function (median 43, range 22-61, P = .026), worse quality of life (median EQ5D 0.70, range 0.04-1, P = .022), and comparable pain intensity (median 47, range 31-56, P = .362) when compared with US general population values. The median NDI/ODI was 25 (range 0-72) indicating mild to moderate disability. Patients undergoing reoperation had worse patient-reported outcomes than those who did not. Eighteen (55.5%) out of 33 patients suffered complications (90 days), 14 (42.4%) had unplanned readmission, and 13 (39.4%) underwent reoperation. Intralesional resection was associated with increased readmission, reoperation, and recurrence rate. Conclusions:Chondrosarcoma affects quality of life and physical function and its treatment frequently results in complications and reoperations. Our findings can be used to inform future patients about expected outcomes

DEVCOMS: A STUDY OF INDIE VIDEOGAME DEVELOPERS’ COMMUNITY-BUILDING RHETORICS LEADING TO LAUNCH

Competition in the gaming market is fierce. Yet, Independent (“Indie”) Game Developers (IGDs) with limited resources managed to carve out an existence. In the IGD scene, the social media platform Twitter is considered ideal for intra-industry marketing and community building. In this study, 31 indie games and 17,599 tweets from official IGD accounts were coded and analysed according to their targeted audience (Broad vs. Narrow), message (Inclusionary vs. Exclusionary), and timing. Our findings indicate that commercially successful games converge on a pattern of rhetoric we dubbed ‘The SHuFL Model’, consisting of four phases: 1) a phase of ‘Seeding’ tweets to raise discoverability; 2) a ‘Feeding’ phase of active community engagement; 3) a ‘Leveraging’ phase where network effects are leveraged for a successful launch; 4) an optional ‘Hunting’ round of proactive solicitation during the ‘Seeding’ phase. ‘The SHuFL Model’ can be utilized by “grassroots” marketers to overcome platform gatekeeping