A COMPARISON OF DEMANDS FOR MEAT PRODUCTS IN THE PACIFIC RIM REGION

The Rotterdam model is used to obtain estimates of demand parameters for meat products in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. Unlike most previous studies of demand systems, the model takes into account simultaneous-equation bias which arises due to the endogeneity of total expenditure. Beef, pork, and chicken are separable from marine products for each Pacific Rim country. However, demand elasticities for beef, pork, and chicken are different among the various Pacific Rim nations. One may not then use the elasticity estimates of a particular country and apply them to other Pacific Rim markets.Demand and Price Analysis,

A comparison of three popular test methods for determining the shear modulus of composite materials

Three popular shear tests (the 10 degree off-axis, the plus or minus 45 degree tensile, and the Iosipescu specimen tested in the modified Wyoming fixture) for shear modulus measurement are evaluated for a graphite-epoxy composite material system. A comparison of the shear stress-strain response for each test method is made using conventional strain gage instrumentation and moire interferometry. The uniformity and purity of the strain fields in the test sections of the specimens are discussed, and the shear responses obtained from each test technique are presented and compared. For accurate measurement of shear modulus, the 90 degree Iosipescu specimen is recommended

Composite material shear property measurement using the Iosipescu specimen

A detailed evaluation of the suitability of the Iosipescu specimen tested in the modified Wyoming fixture is presented. Finite element analysis and moire interferometry are used to assess the uniformity of the shear stress field in the test section of unidirectional and cross-ply graphite-epoxy composites. The nonuniformity of the strain field and the sensitivity of some fiber orientations to the specimen/fixture contact mechanics are discussed. The shear responses obtained for unidirectional and cross-ply graphite-epoxy composites are discussed and problems associated with anomalous behavior are addressed. An experimental determination of the shear response of a range of material systems using strain gage instrumentation and moire interferometry is performed

Fully Mediated Effects of Formative Measures Using MIMIC Constructs

Formatively-measured constructs are increasingly applied in information system research models.Recent work shows that exogenous formatively-measured constructs suffer from a number of problems that include interpretational confounding and a lack of external consistency. Yet replacement by reflectively-measured constructs can lead to bias if not theoretically appropriate. One solution may be to use a MIMIC construct composed of the formative measures as well as two additional reflective measures. A simulation study indicates that a MIMIC so composed mitigates the problems of interpretational confounding and poor external consistency allowing use broader use in a variety of structural models. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol4/iss2/2

Correlates of HIV testing and receipt of test results in addiction health services in Los Angeles County

Background HIV testing and receipt of HIV test results among individuals with substance use disorders is less than optimal. We examined rates and correlates of HIV testing and receipt of test results in one of the largest public addiction health services systems in the United States. Methods The study included 139,516 adult clients in treatment between 2006 and 2011. We used logistic regression models to examine associations between predisposing, enabling, and need factors and two dependent variables, HIV testing rates and receipt of test results. Associations were considered statistically significance at p < .01. Results We found that 64 % of clients reported being tested for HIV, of whom 85 % reported receiving their test results. Likelihood of being tested was positively associated with being female, a minority, homeless, employed, having prior treatment episodes, comorbidities, injection drug use, or a history of mental illness. It was negatively associated with alcohol or marijuana as primary drug. Receipt of test results was more likely among clients on medication (methadone or buprenorphine) or whose method of drug use was smoking, inhalation, or injecting; it was less likely among older clients and those with more outpatient psychiatric visits. Conclusions Findings from this study may inform strategies and targeting of population groups to improve HIV testing practices and ultimately increase awareness of infection status among clients of addiction health services

Housing Preferences and Choices Among Adults with Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders: A Qualitative Study

Housing is a crucial issue for adults with severe mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders, as this population is particularly susceptible to housing instability and homelessness. We interviewed 40 adults with dual disorders, living in either supervised or independent housing arrangements, to examine housing preferences, decision making processes surrounding housing choices, and perceived barriers to housing. We found that many clients indicated their housing preferences had changed over time, and some clients related housing preferences to recovery. Although the majority of clients preferred independent housing, many also described benefits of supervised housing. Clients' current living situations appeared to be driven primarily by treatment provider recommendations and availability of housing. Common barriers to obtaining desired housing were lack of income and information. These findings have implications for supported housing models and approaches to providing housing for clients

Comparison of type I error for multiple test corrections in large single-nucleotide polymorphism studies using principal components versus haplotype blocking algorithms

Although permutation testing has been the gold standard for assessing significance levels in studies using multiple markers, it is time-consuming. A Bonferroni correction to the nominal p-value that uses the underlying pair-wise linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure among the markers to determine the number of effectively independent tests has recently been proposed. We propose using the number of independent LD blocks plus the number of independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms for correction. Using the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism LD data for chromosome 21, we simulated 1,000 replicates of parent-child trio data under the null hypothesis with two levels of LD: moderate and high. Assuming haplotype blocks were independent, we calculated the number of independent statistical tests using 3 haplotype blocking algorithms. We then compared the type I error rates using a principal components-based method, the three blocking methods, a traditional Bonferroni correction, and the unadjusted p-values obtained from FBAT. Under high LD conditions, the PC method and one of the blocking methods were slightly conservative, whereas the 2 other blocking methods exceeded the target type I error rate. Under conditions of moderate LD, we show that the blocking algorithm corrections are closest to the desired type I error, although still slightly conservative, with the principal components-based method being almost as conservative as the traditional Bonferroni correction

Identification of SNPs and INDELS in swine transcribed sequences using short oligonucleotide microarrays

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genome-wide detection of single feature polymorphisms (SFP) in swine using transcriptome profiling of day 25 placental RNA by contrasting probe intensities from either Meishan or an occidental composite breed with Affymetrix porcine microarrays is presented. A linear mixed model analysis was used to identify significant breed-by-probe interactions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Gene specific linear mixed models were fit to each of the log₂transformed probe intensities on these arrays, using fixed effects for breed, probe, breed-by-probe interaction, and a random effect for array. After surveying the day 25 placental transcriptome, 857 probes with a q-value ≤ 0.05 and |fold change| ≥ 2 for the breed-by-probe interaction were identified as candidates containing SFP. To address the quality of the bioinformatics approach, universal pyrosequencing assays were designed from Affymetrix exemplar sequences to independently assess polymorphisms within a subset of probes for validation. Additionally probes were randomly selected for sequencing to determine an unbiased confirmation rate. In most cases, the 25-mer probe sequence printed on the microarray diverged from Meishan, not occidental crosses. This analysis was used to define a set of highly reliable predicted SFPs according to their probability scores.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>By applying a SFP detection method to two mammalian breeds for the first time, we detected transition and transversion single nucleotide polymorphisms, as well as insertions/deletions which can be used to rapidly develop markers for genetic mapping and association analysis in species where high density genotyping platforms are otherwise unavailable.</p> <p>SNPs and INDELS discovered by this approach have been publicly deposited in NCBI's SNP repository dbSNP. This method is an attractive bioinformatics tool for uncovering breed-by-probe interactions, for rapidly identifying expressed SNPs, for investigating potential functional correlations between gene expression and breed polymorphisms, and is robust enough to be used on any Affymetrix gene expression platform.</p

Integrated multiomics approach identifies calcium and integrin-binding protein-2 as a novel gene for pulse wave velocity

Background: Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an important measure of arterial stiffness, which is an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In this study, we used an integrated genetic, epigenetic and transcriptomics approach to uncover novel molecular mechanisms contributing to PWV. Methods and results: We measured PWV in 1505 healthy twins of European descendent. A genomewide association analysis was performed using standardized residual of the inverse of PWV. We identified one single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs7164338) in the calcium and integrin-binding protein-2 (CIB2) gene on chromosome 15q25.1 associated with PWV [beta = -0.359, standard error (SE) = 0.07, P = 4.8 x 10(-8)]. The same variant was also associated with increased CIB2 expression in leucocytes (beta = 0.034, SE = 0.008, P = 4.95 x 10(-5)) and skin (beta = 0.072, SE = 0.01, P = 2.35 x 10(-9)) and with hypomethylation of the gene promoter (beta = -.899, SE = 0.098, P = 3.63 x 10(-20)). Conclusion: Our data indicate that reduced methylation of the CIB2 promoter in individuals carrying rs7164338 may lead to increased CIB2 expression. Given that CIB2 is thought to regulate intracellular calcium levels, an increase in protein levels may prevent the accumulation of serum calcium and phosphate, ultimately slowing down the process of vascular calcification. This study shows the power of integrating multiple omics to discover novel cardiovascular mechanisms