The Impact of Increased Ethanol Production on Corn Basis in South Dakota

A basis model is used to empirically estimate the impact of ethanol production on the South Dakota corn basis on the district and State levels. Monthly data is used to estimate basis as a function of futures price, supply, demand, storage, and transportation costs. The independent variables used are corn futures prices, corn production, corn usage for ethanol production, corn usage by cattle, Midwest No. 2 Diesel retail sales prices, storage availability, and unit train transportation The regression results show the impact on corn basis varies by district from $0.04 to$0.27 per bushel, with a State impact of $0.24 in 2005. The impact from an additional 40 million gallon per year (MGY) ethanol plant ranges from$0.06 to $0.16 per bushel, with a State impact of$0.03. The impact from an additional 100 MGY ethanol plant ranges from $0.16 to$0.40 per bushel, with a State impact of $0.08.Crop Production/Industries,

Macrophage Extracellular Trap Formation in Response to M. Haemolytica or its Leukptoxin is altered by Co-Incubation with Bovine Herpes Virus-1 Infected Bronchiolar Epithelial Cells

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the primary cause of morbidity in the U.S. beef and dairy industry. BRD is a multifactorial disease that is caused by viral and bacterial agents leading to a severe pleuropneumonia in cattle. BRD is characterized by inflammation, intense neutrophil infiltration, consolidation and recently, extensive amounts of extracellular DNA in the lungs. One possible source of the DNA is from leukocytes that release fibrillar networks of antimicrobial protein-studded DNA matrices referred to as extracellular traps (ETs). Recently, we have demonstrated that neutrophils and macrophages produce ETs in response to Mannheimia haemolytica, an important member of the BRD complex. Previous data has demonstrated that conditioned media removed from bovine herpes virus (BHV)-1 infected bovine bronchiolar epithelial (BBE) cells contain several cytokines. Here, we examined if conditioned media from BHV-1 infected BBE cells could alter ET formation from bovine neutrophils and macrophages. We observed that bovine macrophages pre-incubated with conditioned media from BHV-1 infected BBE cells had a reduced ability to produce ETs when incubated with the leukotoxin (LKT) in comparison to the control macrophages pre-incubated with conditioned media from uninfected BBE cells. In contrast, we observed that bovine macrophages treated with conditioned media demonstrated an increase in ET formation in response to intact M. haemolytica cells. However, conditioned media-treated bovine neutrophils were unaltered in their ability to produce ETs in response to M. haemolytica or LKT. Our findings suggest that BHV infection may alter macrophage production of ETs in response to M. haemolytica or LKT, which could alter host defense

Microscopic and Spectroscopic Analysis of Atmospheric Aerosols from Organic and Freshwater Sources

Atmospheric aerosols impact climate by scattering or absorbing solar radiation and by participating in the formation of clouds and ice crystals. Additionally, the inhalation of aerosol particles contributes significantly to cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary diseases, and is a leading cause of mortality on a global scale. Despite the climate and health implications of aerosol particles, the magnitude of their impacts is still highly uncertain. The physical and chemical (physicochemical) properties of aerosol particles determine their impacts, though these properties are analytically challenging to measure due to their small size, chemical complexity, and continuous evolution in the atmosphere. Single-particle methods are necessary to build upon our understanding of the multiphase aerosol processes occurring in the atmosphere, and to elucidate the impact of these particles on climate and health. In this dissertation, single-particle microscopic and spectroscopic methods were applied to study both ambient and laboratory-generated particles to enable better predictions of the climate and health impacts of aerosol particles. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA), formed from multiphase reactions between aerosol particles and atmospheric gases, was systematically studied in an indoor atmospheric chamber. Particles were collected at multiple points during the multiphase reaction for physicochemical analysis using electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Raman microspectroscopy. Particles underwent physicochemical transformation after heterogeneous reactions, leading to the formation of isoprene-derived organosulfate compounds in the particle phase that increased particle viscosity and altered the internal structure of particles. This study highlighted the dynamic physicochemical properties of SOA, a major fraction of organic aerosol in the atmosphere. Particles emitted from freshwater lakes, known as lake spray aerosol (LSA), were studied through laboratory and ambient observations to determine the impacts of this newly identified particle type on climate and health. An aircraft campaign used microscopy to show that cloudwater and ambient LSA over Lake Michigan have very similar physicochemical properties, suggesting the incorporation of LSA into clouds with likely contributions to lake-effect precipitation. In a separate study, freshwater was collected during a severe harmful algal bloom (HAB) and analyzed for algal toxins using mass spectrometry. Aerosol particles were generated in the laboratory from the freshwater samples, with an observed enrichment of hydrophobic toxins in the aerosol phase. Following this laboratory-based study, a field campaign was performed at a lake experiencing a severe HAB. Freshwater and aerosol samples were analyzed for the presence of algal toxins using mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy, and the amount of aerosolized toxins in ambient environments was determined. These projects highlight a new route of exposure to HAB toxins that has implications for people living near or downwind of HABs globally. Lastly, a new analytical spectroscopy method was developed and applied to characterize vibrational modes present in submicron aerosol particles. This method combined optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) and Raman spectroscopy for simultaneous spectroscopic acquisition. This project identified the ideal substrate for analysis, characterized single- and multi- component standards, and showed the first classification of ambient aerosol particles with O-PTIR + Raman. The spectroscopic analysis of submicron particles enabled exploration of samples previously unstudied by vibrational spectroscopy, significantly advancing the fields of atmospheric and analytical chemistry. The methods and results obtained in this dissertation have resulted in detailed measurements of particle physicochemical properties, providing new insights into the mechanisms of multiphase atmospheric processing and improving understanding of the impacts of aerosols on climate and human health.PHDChemistryUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/168057/1/niolson_1.pd

Automating biomedical data science through tree-based pipeline optimization

Over the past decade, data science and machine learning has grown from a mysterious art form to a staple tool across a variety of fields in academia, business, and government. In this paper, we introduce the concept of tree-based pipeline optimization for automating one of the most tedious parts of machine learning---pipeline design. We implement a Tree-based Pipeline Optimization Tool (TPOT) and demonstrate its effectiveness on a series of simulated and real-world genetic data sets. In particular, we show that TPOT can build machine learning pipelines that achieve competitive classification accuracy and discover novel pipeline operators---such as synthetic feature constructors---that significantly improve classification accuracy on these data sets. We also highlight the current challenges to pipeline optimization, such as the tendency to produce pipelines that overfit the data, and suggest future research paths to overcome these challenges. As such, this work represents an early step toward fully automating machine learning pipeline design.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, to appear in EvoBIO 2016 proceeding

Estudi de les distàncies interpersonals: El rol del sexe com a factor regulador

Curs 2013-2014Partint de la base teòrica de la proxèmica i l’espai personal, l’objectiu d’aquest treball era investigar la influència que té el sexe de l’individu i el de la persona amb la qual s’interactua en referència a la distància interpersonal. Així mateix, es pretenia esbrinar si hi ha una connexió entre el sexe i la conducta compensatòria que es realitzarà quan l’espai personal és envaït. L’estudi s’ha realitzat amb 60 joves de la Universitat de Barcelona, estudiants entre 1r i 4t de Grau en diversos estudis socials mitjançant un experiment de camp. Els resultats mostren que ambdues variables tenen una influència significativa en la regulació de l’espai personal d’un individu.On the basis of theorical research on proxemics and personal space, the aim of this research was to investigate the influence of the gender of the individual and the gender of the person with whom there is an interaction when it comes to interpersonal distance. Moreover, I intended to find out if there was a relation between gender and the compensatory behaviors that are made when personal space is invaded. The study was made on 60 people from the University of Barcelona, all of whom are in grades 1st to 4th of a social studies degree. Results show that both variables have a noticiable influence on the regulation of a personal space

First-Generation College Students\u27 Experiences with Social Class Identity Dissonance

The current study explored the differences in experiences of social class identity dissonance between first-generation college students and non-first-generation college students. Additionally, this study aimed to examine the effect of social class identity dissonance on psychological distress in first-generation college students, as well as, whether an anti-social dominance orientation partially buffers the relationship between social class identity dissonance and psychological distress. A total of 1,109 college students from two local, four-year institutions participated in the study. The first research objective was to examine the differences between first-generation college students and non-first-generation college students on reported levels of social class identity dissonance. The next objective was to investigate whether social class identity dissonance mediates the relationship between generation status and psychological distress. The last objective was to explore whether having an anti-dominance orientation helps buffer the relationship between social class identity dissonance and psychological distress. An independent samples t-test and hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine the three hypotheses. A number of important findings were revealed by the results of the study. There appeared to be a significant, positive relationship between social class identity dissonance and psychological distress. As social class identity dissonance increases in individuals, symptoms of psychological distress also increase. Additionally, social class identity dissonance was a significant predictor of psychological distress. No significant differences were seen between first-generation college students and their peers in this sample, and there did not appear to be a significant relationship between generation status and psychological distress, therefore, hypotheses one and two were rejected. Furthermore, social dominance orientation did not significantly moderate the relationship between social class identity dissonance and psychological distress; thus, the third hypothesis was also rejected

Athleta B Corporation Case Study

As a B Corporation, Athleta has the unique challenge of identifying a competitive strategy that will guide the company to success in the highly competitive athleisure market while also remaining consistent with its mission, vision, and values and supporting its parent company, Gap Inc. This case study was developed to evaluate this challenge through internal and external analysis of the company and to encourage readers to consider Athleta’s future priorities as the company undergoes changes in strategic leadership. The case study begins with a brief overview of the competitive landscape of the Athleisure market and a review of the history of Athleta before diving into the company’s positioning in the market as a company that values sustainability and female empowerment. Athleta’s focus on inclusive sizing, sustainability, partnerships with female athletes, and customer engagement provide strong tools for the company to differentiate itself from competitors. These strengths will be critical for Athleta to utilize in the future as it seeks to become a leading Athleisure brand and a strong brand in Gap Inc.’s portfolio