The value of economic research:

Economic research generates a wide array of benefits. These include information, technological change, and improved policy. There are few quantitative studies of the benefits of economic research, and some benefits may be misattributed to biological and physical research. To be productive, economic research must be transmitted and the user must be able to use it. Therefore, investment in extension outreach and economic literacy are important to improve its impact. Even casual observation suggests that economic research is valuable, but noneconomists must be convinced of this. Since benefits are likely to be concentrated in a small number of successful projects, a useful approach to the assessment of the benefits of research is to identify these projects and their results. The analysis must recognize that the accuracy of any estimates of benefits is uncertain. In addition, the argument behind the estimates should be transparent, relying on documentation and testimony from users, policymakers, and noneconomists. Assessments of the benefits of economic research provide information that can be used both to justify support for economic research and to allocate monies among lines of research.Research Economic aspects., Impact assessment,

Book Reviews

Reviews of : Wansink, B. Marketing Nutrition: Soy, Functional foods, Biotechnology and Obesity Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2005; Motzafi-Haller, P. (ed.) Women in Agriculture in the Middle East Aldershot, England: Ashgate Publishing, 2005Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Choosing Brands: Fresh Produce versus other Products

This study presents a framework to analyze how uncertainty about product attributes affects consumers' WTP for brand name products over generic ones, incorporating key elements of a random utility model and product attribute models. We found that in comparison to electronics, clothing, and processed food, consumers buy brand name vegetables and fruits mainly because of quality uncertainty, and they can easily reduce uncertainty of product quality of fresh vegetables and fruits by seeing, touching, smelling, and tasting. Hence, consumers are less willing to pay for brands of fresh vegetables and fruits. However, simulation results show that brands of fresh fruits and vegetables may have a similar price premium as other products, but they lack the market share. Thus, the main challenge in building brands of fresh produce is to establish a critical mass. We also find that demographic information such as education and gender does affect consumers' WTP for brands.Consumer/Household Economics,

THE INCREASING ROLE OF AGRIBUSINESS IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

While the demand for traditional agricultural economics is diminishing, there is a growing need for the economics and management of the food sector and the environment. Departments of agricultural economics have shown great flexibility in including agribusiness in their Bachelor's and Master's teaching programs. Ph.D and research programs appear to adjust more slowly to changing demand. Although agricultural economics programs are providing a variety of service course offerings, opportunities for joint programs with biological, physical, and natural sciences, particularly resource management, are not being exploited. If business schools decide to compete for agribusiness students in the future, missed opportunities with other departments and schools may become very costly. If this profession is to remain viable in the long run, it must continue to evolve, developing opportunities with biological, physical, and natural disciplines, in order to meet the demands of a changing market.agribusiness, agricultural economics, education, extension, research, Agribusiness, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Automotive Bankruptcy Panel Discussion - November 16, 2009

This panel discussion concerning bankruptcy and the automobile industry took place in the Joseph W. Bartunek III Moot Court Room on the campus of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law on November 16, 2009

Synthetic lethal screening in the mammalian central nervous system identifies Gpx6 as a modulator of Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s disease, the most common inherited neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by a dramatic loss of deep-layer cortical and striatal neurons, as well as morbidity in midlife. Human genetic studies led to the identification of the causative gene, huntingtin. Recent genomic advances have also led to the identification of hundreds of potential interacting partners for huntingtin protein and many hypotheses as to the molecular mechanisms whereby mutant huntingtin leads to cellular dysfunction and death. However, the multitude of possible interacting partners and cellular pathways affected by mutant huntingtin has complicated efforts to understand the etiology of this disease, and to date no curative therapeutic exists. To address the general problem of identifying the disease-phenotype contributing genes from a large number of correlative studies, here we develop a synthetic lethal screening methodology for the mammalian central nervous system, called SLIC, for synthetic lethal in the central nervous system. Applying SLIC to the study of Huntington’s disease, we identify the age-regulated glutathione peroxidase 6 (Gpx6) gene as a modulator of mutant huntingtin toxicity and show that overexpression of Gpx6 can dramatically alleviate both behavioral and molecular phenotypes associated with a mouse model of Huntington’s disease. SLIC can, in principle, be used in the study of any neurodegenerative disease for which a mouse model exists, promising to reveal modulators of neurodegenerative disease in an unbiased fashion, akin to screens in simpler model organisms.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (U.S.) (Award R01NS085880)William N. and Bernice E. Bumpus Foundation (Early Career Investigator Innovation Award)JPB FoundationEuropean Molecular Biology Organization (Long-term Fellowship

Emergency Motion to Approve Emergency Motion of Debtors and Debtors in Possession Pursuant to Sections 105 and 363 of the Bankruptcy Code for an Order (A) Authorizing Them to Enter Into the Master Transaction Agreement dated May 19, 2009

Emergency Motion to Approve Emergency Motion of Debtors and Debtors in Possession Pursuant to Sections 105 and 363 of the Bankruptcy Code for an Order (A) Authorizing Them to Enter Into the Master Transaction Agreement Among Chrysler LLC, the United States Department of the Treasury, GMAC LLC, and U.S. Dealer Automotive Receivables Transition LLC; (B) Waiving the Stay Under Bankruptcy Rule 6004(h); and (C) Waiving the Notice Requirements Under Bankruptcy Rule 6004(a), In re Chrysler LLC, 405 B.R. 84 (No. 09-50002), Docket # 1261

Motion of Debtors and Debtors in Possession, [...] for [...] Orders Authorizing them to Pay the Prepetition Claims of Certain Essential Suppliers and Administrative Claimholders, Continuing the Debtors\u27 Troubled Supplier Program and [...]

Referred to as: Motion of Debtors and Debtors in Possession, Pursuant to Sections 105(a), 363(b)(9) of the Bankruptcy Code, for Interim and Final Orders Authorizing them to Pay the Prepetition Claims of Certain Essential Suppliers and Administrative Claimholders, Continuing the Debtors\u27 Troubled Supplier Program and Granting Certain Related Relief. Also known as: Critical Vendors Motio