AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE MANAGERS AND THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Managers of agricultural cooperatives were contacted to determine their knowledge/capabilities and perspectives of the cooperative environment with special emphasis given to the importance of cooperative principles to the operation and success of the business, division of responsibility between management and the board of directors, and business decision making in the areas of financial analysis plus selected scenarios. Managers showed strong adherence to traditional cooperative principles and basic decision areas. Self-assessments were positive and consistent with performance measures. The opportunity exists to improve manager knowledge/capabilities related to cooperative principles, division of responsibility between managers and the board, and financial analysis.board of directors, cooperative principles, cooperatives (agricultural), leadership, management, managers, Agribusiness,

THE VALUE OF THE GULF OF MEXICO RECREATIONAL RED SNAPPER FISHERY

This study estimates the value of recreational red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, the study shows how to decompose the estimated red snapper recreation demand function into changes: (i) due to recreationists who were not taking recreational red snapper fishing trips but were induced to take a trip in response to changes in catch rates and (ii) due to recreationists already taking trips and responding to changes in catch rates. The decomposition allows us to also decompose the estimated elasticities and consumer surplus. The results indicate that an improvement in expected fishing quality will increase consumer surplus and that most of the increase is contributed by recreationists who initially do not take recreational red snapper fishing trips, but later take a positive number of trips. This finding has important policy implications for managing the red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

SHRIMP EX-VESSEL PRICES LANDED FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO

A 3SLS procedure is employed to analyze U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp ex-vessel prices by size class and import supplies using monthly time-series data for the period from 1981 to 1995. Results indicate that the U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp ex-vessel prices are inflexible. Own-price flexibilities range from –0.0663 to –0.1027. Primary substitutes for U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp are cross-size U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp and imported supplies from South America. Structural changes and seasonal variations are evident for U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp ex-vessel prices as well as import supplies.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Joint Estimation of Revealed and Stated Preference Data: An Application to Recreational Red Snapper Valuation

This study extends the joint estimation of revealed and stated preference data literature by accounting for truncation in the revealed preference data. The analytical model and estimation procedure are used to estimate the value of recreational red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. This recreational red snapper valuation is decomposed into its direct and indirect components. As expected, the value of recreational red snapper fishing using the joint revealed-stated preference model proposed in this analysis is bracketed on the upper limit by the value obtained using the contingent valuation method and on the lower limit by the travel cost method. The results also indicate that the joint model improves the precision of estimated recreational red snapper valuation.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Submillimeter-wave antennas on thin membranes

Submillimeter-wave antennas with bismuth microbolometer detectors have been fabricated on 1-μm thick silicon-oxynitride membranes. This approach results in better patterns than previous lens-coupled integrated circuit antennas, and eliminates the dielectric loss associated with the substrate lens. Measurements on a wideband log-periodic antenna at 700 GHz, 380 GHz and 167 GHz, and on a 700 GHz log-periodic imaging array, show no sidelobee and a 3-dB beamwidth between 40° and 50°. Also, the effective area can be increased by 5 dB by the use of a back-shorting mirror. Possible application areas are superconducting tunnel junction receivers for radio astronomy and imaging arrays for plasma diagnostics

What Should a Psychiatrist Know About Genetics? Review and Recommendations From the Residency Education Committee of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics.

The International Society of Psychiatric Genetics (ISPG) created a Residency Education Committee with the purpose of identifying key genetic knowledge that should be taught in psychiatric training programs. Thirteen committee members were appointed by the ISPG Board of Directors, based on varied training, expertise, gender, and national origin. The Committee has met quarterly for the past 2 years, with periodic reports to the Board and to the members of the Society. The information summarized includes the existing literature in the field of psychiatric genetics and the output of ongoing large genomics consortia. An outline of clinically relevant areas of genetic knowledge was developed, circulated, and approved. This document was expanded and annotated with appropriate references, and the manuscript was developed. Specific information regarding the contribution of common and rare genetic variants to major psychiatric disorders and treatment response is now available. Current challenges include the following: (1) Genetic testing is recommended in the evaluation of autism and intellectual disability, but its use is limited in current clinical practice. (2) Commercial pharmacogenomic testing is widely available, but its utility has not yet been clearly established. (3) Other methods, such as whole exome and whole genome sequencing, will soon be clinically applicable. The need for informed genetic counseling in psychiatry is greater than ever before, knowledge in the field is rapidly growing, and genetic education should become an integral part of psychiatric training

Prognostic microRNA signatures derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Identification of novel prognostic biomarkers typically requires a large dataset which provides sufficient statistical power for discovery research. To this end, we took advantage of the high‐throughput data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify a set of prognostic biomarkers in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and other subtypes. In this study, we analyzed miRNA‐seq data obtained from TCGA patients to identify prognostic biomarkers for OPSCC. The identified miRNAs were further tested with an independent cohort. miRNA‐seq data from TCGA was also analyzed to identify prognostic miRNAs in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Our study identified that miR‐193b‐3p and miR‐455‐5p were positively associated with survival, and miR‐92a‐3p and miR‐497‐5p were negatively associated with survival in OPSCC. A combined expression signature of these four miRNAs was prognostic of overall survival in OPSCC, and more importantly, this signature was validated in an independent OPSCC cohort. Furthermore, we identified four miRNAs each in OSCC and LSCC that were prognostic of survival, and combined signatures were specific for subtypes of HNSCC. A robust 4‐miRNA prognostic signature in OPSCC, as well as prognostic signatures in other subtypes of HNSCC, was developed using sequencing data from TCGA as the primary source. This demonstrates the power of using TCGA as a potential resource to develop prognostic tools for improving individualized patient care

Survival Estimates of Western Gray Whales \u3ci\u3eEschrichtius robustus\u3c/i\u3e Incorporating Individual Heterogeneity and Temporary Emigration

Gray whales Eschrichtius robustus exist as a 2 geographically and genetically distinct populations in the eastern and western North Pacific. Subjected to intensive commercial whaling during the 19th and 20th centuries, the western population presently numbers approximately 100 individuals and is regarded as one of the most endangered baleen whale populations in the world

Survival Estimates of Western Gray Whales \u3ci\u3eEschrichtius robustus\u3c/i\u3e Incorporating Individual Heterogeneity and Temporary Emigration

Gray whales Eschrichtius robustus exist as a 2 geographically and genetically distinct populations in the eastern and western North Pacific. Subjected to intensive commercial whaling during the 19th and 20th centuries, the western population presently numbers approximately 100 individuals and is regarded as one of the most endangered baleen whale populations in the world