Social Equity and the Genetically Engineered Crops Controversy

Crop Production/Industries, Labor and Human Capital, Y80,

Super Fair Dominating Set in the Cartesian Product of Graphs

In this paper, we characterize the super fair dominating set in the Cartesian product of two graphs and give some important results

Agribusiness Concentration, Intellectual Property, and the Prospects for Rural Economic Benefits from the Emerging Biofuel Economy

United States policy makers are promoting bio-fuels as an economic development opportunity, especially for rural America. A USDA study claims that developments in energy production from biomass could increase profits for agricultural commodity producers. However, as William Heffernan and his colleagues have demonstrated, concentration in the agrifood sector limits the economic benefits going to the commodity producers. Relying on Heffernan’s framework, we compare the distribution of intellectual property of corn and other genetically modified crops with that of the emerging biomass technologies. We find that patent ownership in the emerging biofuel sector is not yet as concentrated as in the agricultural biotechnology sector. However, theories of private ordering predict concentration and our data indicate that concentration is occurring. The results suggest that rural biomass producers are unlikely to gain broad economic benefits from the biofuel economy

Social Media and Its Impact on Travelers to Montana

News, real or not, travels faster than ever with the rise of social media platforms. Nearly everyone, everywhere, is capable of generating and disseminating information to large volumes of potential consumers. This information is often out of the direct control of the destination, business, or other entity for whom the news relates; it is unowned media. When a destination receives a flurry of attention from these various sources, either good or bad, several important questions arise in attempting to understand their impacts: (1) how long do these impressions last in potential visitor’s minds? And, (2) do these events/images influence travel planning? The overall purpose of this study is to build a better understanding of the degree to which unowned media, particularly social media, influences traveler behavior and perceptions of Montana, whether positive or negative. A secondary purpose is to provide specificity to the level and type of social media use that some visitors to Montana engage in (i.e., what platforms are they on, how does this vary by age, how often do they use specific platforms, etc.)

Projected Impact of Visitor Limitations in Glacier National Park

With consistently increasing visitor numbers in Glacier National Park (GNP), park managers are working to come up with management solutions for transportation, visitation, visitor use, trails, and access within the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) corridor during peak season. The GTSR Corridor Management Plan Environmental Assessment was developed in September, 2019. The preferred alternative included in the assessment is an adaptive management approach to address visitation levels, which includes strategies such as expanding the shuttle system, adding hiking and biking trails, and some changes to parking availability in various areas. The objective of this study is to provide a review of various reservation systems used in other protected areas to address visitation levels, and gain an understanding of what the impact may be to areas around the park if a visitation cap or restricted access is enacted by GNP management

Assessing participatory processes and outcomes in agricultural research for development from participants' perspectives

To analyze the experiences of farmers involved in a participatory plant breeding project in West Africa, we develop a two-dimensional framework for evaluating the process and outcomes of participatory agricultural research for development projects. On one axis, we draw on existing typologies to describe the participatory process as consultative, collaborative, or collegial. On another axis, we theorize and test the outcomes of participation; specifically, whether the process achieves instrumental goals, is empowering for participants, or is manipulative toward participants. Qualitative interviews with farmers and technicians indicate a range of instrumental and empowering outcomes emerging from the participatory process, which support food security through access to seeds and a new ability to share information learned through the research process

Interaction of the S6 Proline Hinge with N-Type and C-Type Inactivation in Kv1.4 Channels

AbstractSeveral voltage-gated channels share a proline-valine-proline (proline hinge) sequence motif at the intracellular side of S6. We studied the proline hinge in Kv1.4 channels, which inactivate via two mechanisms: N- and C-type. We mutated the second proline to glycine or alanine: P558A, P558G. These mutations were studied in the presence/absence of the N-terminal to separate the effects of the interaction between the proline hinge and N- and C-type inactivation. Both S6 mutations slowed or removed N- and C-type inactivation, and altered recovery from inactivation. P558G slowed activation and N- and C-type inactivation by nearly an order of magnitude. Sensitivity to extracellular acidosis and intracellular quinidine binding remained, suggesting that transmembrane communication in N- and C-type inactivation was preserved, consistent with our previous findings of major structural rearrangements involving S6 during C-type inactivation. P558A was very disruptive: activation was slowed by more than an order of magnitude, and no inactivation was observed. These results are consistent with our hypothesis that the proline hinge and intracellular S6 movement play a significant role in inactivation and recovery. Computer modeling suggests that both P558G and P558A mutations modify early voltage-dependent steps and make a final voltage-insensitive step that is rate limiting at positive potentials

The State of Short-Term Rentals in Montana

Little is known about short term rentals (STRs) as an accommodation choice for pleasure or business in Montana. The goal of this study was to assess the impacts of STRs on hosts and communities in Montana, as well as to better understand the characteristics and motivations of visitors who use STRs. Two independent studies; interviews with city and county officials in Montana, as well as an online travel behavior survey regarding accommodation choices and changes in travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic were conducted. Results suggest that positive STR impacts include increased financial well-being for hosts and more vacation rental opportunities for the guests. In some locations, however, STRs appear to limit housing availability and contribute to increased rent and housing costs