1,847 research outputs found
State Funded Marketing and Promotional Activities to Support a State's Winery Business; Are There Economic Returns?: A Case study using Texas Senate Bill 1370's support of the Texas Wine Industry
Texas wineries responded to a survey regarding their participation in wine marketing activities, annual changes in gross sales and level of sales growth they attribute to TDAâs support and if these funds create positive economic impacts to their winery. The response rate was 53 of the 93 registered wineries or a 57 percent response rate. Senate Bill 1370 funds allocate annually 725,000 and the normal funding of 975,000 in annual support to grow economic value. The most often utilized promotional activity is promotional materials and attending TDA supported wine events. Ninety-two percent of Texas wineries recognize an increase in awareness for the Texas wine industry and attribute 49 percent of the increase to state marketing efforts. A portion of TDA marketing funds were directed towards supporting wine events in Texas as they attract large numbers of consumers and allow promotional opportunities. One result found that 68 percent of consumers reported the event encouraged them to buy more Texas wine. Annual Economic Impact Results from supported marketing activities are estimated to create 1 of funding in direct sales increases, 1 of funding in economic impact of increases in sales and 1 of funding in value added impacts (based on IMPLAN Type II Economic Multiplier values). Annual Economic Impact Results from all funding activities are 1 of funding of total direct sales increases, 1 of funding in economic impacts of increases in sales and 1 of funding in valued added impacts (based on IMPLAN Type II Economic Multiplier values). It is apparent that both direct and indirect economic results are positive returns to program funding and create economic growth in local economies.Texas Wine, Wine Economics, State Commodity Support, State Agricultural Marketing, State Commodity Marketing, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing,
Lived Experiences of Covid-19: Impacts on an Atoll Island Community, Papua New Guinea
This report details the findings from in-depth
interviews with community members in an atoll island
community in Manus Province, about their experiences
during and after the PNG state of emergency. The
interviews were conducted by mobile phone in late July
2020 and early August 2020. When the state of
emergency began, leaders closed the weekly island
markets to stop large gatherings of people. This
closure quickly started to cause food shortages, and
people stopped following the rules and returned to the
markets. This disrupted food access so severely, that
markets were quickly reopened.
The communityâs ability to access mainland markets
was greatly disrupted by social distancing rules that
halved the number of people able to travel by boat to
the mainland. Customer numbers in markets and
demand for fish declined dramatically. These changes
impacted islanderâs income and ability to access storebought goods and foods. Transport disruptions and
social distancing rules likewise caused difficulties
accessing financial services (e.g. ATMs) and purchasing
petrol necessary for both transport and fishing
livelihoods. On the island itself, weekly markets were
closed at the beginning of the state of emergency. Due
to a lack of cash circulating in the community, markets
increasingly reverted to traditional barter systems.
These findings suggest that unintended flow-on effects
of social distancing rules and their implementation
severely impacted livelihoods and food and nutrition
security on the island.
Based on these findings, we highlight key leverage
points for supporting island communities through
further and continuing disruptions from the Covid-19
pandemic: recognise distinct challenges that islands
face if they become isolated, ensure that support
reaches islands in a timely manner, ensure clear
communication about future rules, and acknowledge
trade-offs between social distancing with livelihoods,
food and nutrition security and wellbeing
Resiliencia, significado en la vida y satisfacciĂłn vital: un anĂĄlisis de los efectos moderadores
While presence of meaning in life (i.e., presence) is associated with a plethora of desirable qualities (e.g., greater well-being, longevity, positive affect), search for meaning is associated with psychological distress (e.g., reports of conflict, rumination, depression; Boyle, Barnes, Buchman, & Bennett, 2009). Individuals with higher resiliency, defined as a multifaceted competency in adapting and recovering from adversity, could potentially mitigate the distress associated with search, and thus, achieve greater satisfaction with life (SWL). The present study examined the moderating role of meaning in life between resiliency (i.e., sense of mastery and sense of relatedness) and SWL in a sample of Canadian university students (N=289). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that there was a positive association between resiliency and SWL and this association was stronger at higher levels compared to lower levels of search for meaning. These results suggest that individuals searching for meaning with high levels of mastery have the greatest SWL, while their counterparts with low mastery have the lowest SWL. Similar moderating effects of search were found with the positive association between sense of relatedness and SWL. Overall, findings suggest that protective factors in resiliency may buffer against the potential negative impact of search. While presence of meaning in life (i.e., presence) is associated with a plethora of desirable qualities (e.g., greater well-being, longevity, positive affect), search for meaning is associated with psychological distress (e.g., reports of conflict, rumination, depression; Boyle, Barnes, Buchman, & Bennett, 2009). Individuals with higher resiliency, defined as a multifaceted competency in adapting and recovering from adversity, could potentially mitigate the distress associated with search, and thus, achieve greater satisfaction with life (SWL). The present study examined the moderating role of meaning in life between resiliency (i.e., sense of mastery and sense of relatedness) and SWL in a sample of Canadian university students (N=289). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that there was a positive association between resiliency and SWL and this association was stronger at higher levels compared to lower levels of search for meaning. These results suggest that individuals searching for meaning with high levels of mastery have the greatest SWL, while their counterparts with low mastery have the lowest SWL. Similar moderating effects of search were found with the positive association between sense of relatedness and SWL. Overall, findings suggest that protective factors in resiliency may buffer against the potential negative impact of search
The ectodomain of Toll-like receptor 9 is cleaved to generate a functional receptor.
Mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 3, 7, 8 and 9 initiate immune responses to infection by recognizing microbial nucleic acids; however, these responses come at the cost of potential autoimmunity owing to inappropriate recognition of self nucleic acids. The localization of TLR9 and TLR7 to intracellular compartments seems to have a role in facilitating responses to viral nucleic acids while maintaining tolerance to self nucleic acids, yet the cell biology regulating the transport and localization of these receptors remains poorly understood. Here we define the route by which TLR9 and TLR7 exit the endoplasmic reticulum and travel to endolysosomes in mouse macrophages and dendritic cells. The ectodomains of TLR9 and TLR7 are cleaved in the endolysosome, such that no full-length protein is detectable in the compartment where ligand is recognized. Notably, although both the full-length and cleaved forms of TLR9 are capable of binding ligand, only the processed form recruits MyD88 on activation, indicating that this truncated receptor, rather than the full-length form, is functional. Furthermore, conditions that prevent receptor proteolysis, including forced TLR9 surface localization, render the receptor non-functional. We propose that ectodomain cleavage represents a strategy to restrict receptor activation to endolysosomal compartments and prevent TLRs from responding to self nucleic acids
Composite Suspension for a Mass Market Vehicle
Statement of Confidentiality: The complete senior project report was submitted to the project advisor and sponsor. The results of this project are of a confidential nature and will not be published at this time
Gender equality in climate policy and practice hindered by assumptions
Gender has a powerful influence on peopleâs experience of, and resilience to, climate change. Global climate change policy is committed to tackling gender inequalities in mitigation and adaptation. However, progress is hindered by numerous challenges, including an enduring set of gender assumptions: women are caring and connected to the environment, women are a homogenous and vulnerable group, gender equality is a womenâs issue and gender equality is a numbers game. We provide an overview of how these assumptions essentialize womenâs and menâs characteristics, narrowly diagnose the causes of gender inequality, and thereby propel strategies that have unintended and even counterproductive consequences. We offer four suggestions for a more informed pursuit of gender equality in climate change policy and practice
Toys That Listen: A Study of Parents, Children, and Internet-Connected Toys
Hello Barbie, CogniToys Dino, and Amazon Echo are part of a new wave of connected toys and gadgets for the home that listen. Unlike the smartphone, these devices are always on, blending into the background until needed. We conducted interviews with parent-child pairs in which they interacted with Hello Barbie and CogniToys Dino, shedding light on childrenâs expectations of the toysâ âintelligenceâ and parentsâ privacy concerns and expectations for parental controls. We find that children were often unaware that others might be able to hear what was said to the toy, and that some parents draw connections between the toys and similar tools not intended as toys (e.g., Siri, Alexa) with which their children already interact. Our findings illuminate peopleâs mental models and experiences with these emerging technologies and will help inform the future designs of interactive, connected toys and gadgets. We conclude with recommendations for designers and policy makers.https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/techlab/1002/thumbnail.jp
Comparison of immunochromatographic test (ICT) and filariasis test strip (FTS) for detecting lymphatic filariasis antigen in American Samoa, 2016
Circulating filarial antigen (Ag) prevalence, measured using rapid point-of-care tests, is the standard indicator used for monitoring and surveillance in the Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. In 2015, the immunochromatographic test (ICT) was replaced with the filariasis test strip (FTS), which has higher reported sensitivity. Despite differences in sensitivity, no changes in recommended surveillance targets were made when the FTS was introduced. In 2016, we conducted lymphatic filariasis surveys in American Samoa using FTS, which found higher Ag prevalence than previous surveys that used ICT. To determine whether the increase was real, we assessed the concordance between FTS and ICT results by paired testing of heparinised blood from 179 individuals (63% FTS-positive). ICT had 93.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity for identifying FTS-positive persons, and sensitivity was not associated with age, gender, or presence of microfilariae. Based on these findings, if ICT had been used in the 2016 surveys, the results and interpretation would have been similar to those reported using FTS. American Samoa would have failed Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS) of Grade 1 and 2 children with either test, and community prevalence would not have been significantly different (4.1%, 95% CI, 3.3â4.9% with FTS vs. predicted 3.8%, 95%, CI: 3.1â4.6% with ICT)
An integrated approach to infer the mechanisms of mate choice for size
Size-assortative mating and sexual selection on size are common across species. Since both may be a
result of mate choice, mate choice based on size should also be a widespread process. This behaviour is,
however, rarely studied directly and thus the biological causes that determine size-based mate choice are
poorly understood. To address this, we studied the size-based mate choice in an intertidal snail, Echinolittorina
malaccana, that has been used as a model to understand this process. Previous studies,
assuming a quantitative Gaussian mating preference function, have inferred that mate choice in this snail
is caused by a size similarity mechanism (males prefer to mate with females slightly larger than
themselves). To further test and quantify this proposed mechanism, we conducted mate choice experiments
with alternative designs (single, male and multiple choice) in the laboratory and compared the
results to mate choice data observed in natural populations. This integrated approach allowed us to
elucidate the mechanism of mate choice by evaluating alternative mating models that best fitted the
observed data of various designs. Results confirmed the similarity-based mechanism but showed deviations
at extreme size classes. The single choice design indicated that mate choice was exercised during
one-on-one maleefemale interactions, but the strength of mate choice increased with the presence of
additional individuals (males in the male choice design, and both males and females in the multiplechoice
design). Multiple-choice experiments are, therefore, the most valuable and useful design to
infer how males choose mates in the wild, as they best mimic the natural scenario and the results are the
most similar to those observed in natural populations. To elucidate the mechanisms causing this male
choice for particular female sizes, the next steps are to identify the genetic basis as well as potential
physiological benefits associated with choosing slightly larger females.Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2020-05Ministerio de EconomĂa, Industria y Competitividad | Ref. CGL2016-75482-
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