Beef Production & Consumption: Sustainable Alternatives

Sustainable living involves choosing a lifestyle with minimal environmental impacts. The ultimate goal is to leave future generations with a healthier environment than the one we were born into. How can we do that with beef consumption? Beef is part of American culture, so is there a way to make wiser choices when it comes to purchasing beef ? The short answer is, yes

Beef Production and Consumption: Sustainable Alternatives

Sustainable living involves choosing a lifestyle with minimal environmental impacts. The ultimate goal is to leave future generations with a healthier environment than the one we were born into. How can we do that with beef consumption? Beef is part of American culture, so is there a way to make wiser choices when it comes to purchasing beef ? The short answer is, yes

Research Notes : Canada : On the response of the Rpsl-b allele to race 17 of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. Glycinea

The first report of the interaction between race 17 of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea (Pmg) and the Rpsl-b allele was made by Keeling (1982) in his initial report on this race. Keeling (1982) reported that \u27Sanga\u27 (Rpsl-b) gave a resistant response to race 17, but that PI 171442 (Rps3) and \u27Tracy\u27, which possesses the Rpsl-b and Rps3 alleles (Athow et al., 1979), gave a susceptible response. The relative responses of Tracy and Sanga were unexpected, since, in all cases studied to date, an Rps allele for resistance is epistatic to Rps alleles for susceptibility at any loci (e.g., Athow et al., 1980; Layton et al., 1984; Ploper et al., 1985; Athow et al., 1986)

In vivo evaluation of chemical biopersistence of nonfibrous inorganic particles.

The lung's response to deposited particles may depend upon the physical-chemical properties of the particles, the amount initially deposited, and the persistence of the particles. Clearance involves mucociliary transport as well as the action of phagocytic cells in nonciliated regions of the lung. Depending on the animal species studied, particle type, and particle load, inorganic materials are ingested by macrophages on alveolar surfaces with half-times of 0.6 to 7 hr. Particle-laden macrophages may migrate to airways, but we believe that an important mechanism of clearance is the dissolution of particles within alveolar macrophages and the subsequent translocation of dissolved materials to the blood. Particle dissolution in situ has long been recognized but was often thought to be carried out extracellularly in the alveolar lining layer, airway mucus, or interstitial fluid. However, many particles such as cobalt oxide or iron oxide which dissolve very little in simulated lung fluid, are solubilized more rapidly within alveolar macrophages. Clearance of particles from the lungs can be followed by a number of techniques, both invasive and noninvasive. The approaches vary in expense and resolution, and can be directed toward quantifying mechanical removal of particles versus their intracellular dissolution. Noninvasive methods permit repeated measurements of particle retention in the lungs of the same animal or human and thus allow replications and serial measurements. Greater precision with respect to the sites of retention and redistribution is achieved with quantitative morphometric methods that utilize fixation followed by physically dividing the respiratory tract into individual pieces.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

In vivo evaluation of chemical biopersistence of nonfibrous inorganic particles.

The lung's response to deposited particles may depend upon the physical-chemical properties of the particles, the amount initially deposited, and the persistence of the particles. Clearance involves mucociliary transport as well as the action of phagocytic cells in nonciliated regions of the lung. Depending on the animal species studied, particle type, and particle load, inorganic materials are ingested by macrophages on alveolar surfaces with half-times of 0.6 to 7 hr. Particle-laden macrophages may migrate to airways, but we believe that an important mechanism of clearance is the dissolution of particles within alveolar macrophages and the subsequent translocation of dissolved materials to the blood. Particle dissolution in situ has long been recognized but was often thought to be carried out extracellularly in the alveolar lining layer, airway mucus, or interstitial fluid. However, many particles such as cobalt oxide or iron oxide which dissolve very little in simulated lung fluid, are solubilized more rapidly within alveolar macrophages. Clearance of particles from the lungs can be followed by a number of techniques, both invasive and noninvasive. The approaches vary in expense and resolution, and can be directed toward quantifying mechanical removal of particles versus their intracellular dissolution. Noninvasive methods permit repeated measurements of particle retention in the lungs of the same animal or human and thus allow replications and serial measurements. Greater precision with respect to the sites of retention and redistribution is achieved with quantitative morphometric methods that utilize fixation followed by physically dividing the respiratory tract into individual pieces. Microwave drying or slam-freezing can eliminate the possibility of significant particle redistribution or loss of particles and dissolved elements during tissue processing. Detection of particles and therefore evidence of clearance can rely upon any distinctive property of the aerosol. Particles may be radioactive, fluorescent, or magnetic, or may have a characteristic visual appearance. Detection techniques include radiography, analyses of radioactivity, magnetometry, and microscopic approaches such as fluorescence and confocal microscopy, X-ray emission analysis, and electron energy loss spectrometry (EELS). Using these approaches, considerable evidence has been accumulated to conclude that particle dissolution in situ within alveolar macrophages and subsequent absorption by the circulation, rather than bulk transport, is the dominant mechanism for the long-term clearance of many insoluble minerals from the lungs

Method of joining two or more substrates with a seam

A method for joining two or more substrates with a seam is provided. The seam is formed with a thermoplastic tape that is capable of forming an adhesive bond and a physical bond with a substrate. For instance, in one embodiment, the thermoplastic tape is formed from a polyurethane film. In addition, the seam can be utilized in a flat configuration or folded into a variety of different shapes, such as in a z-shaped configuration. As a result of the present invention, it has been discovered that a seam can be formed to have improved strength without substantially sacrificing the desired functional properties of the substrate materials

Competition for Andersen\u27s Clients

We examine competition for Andersen’s public clients during and after its failure in 2002. This setting provides a natural experiment to examine audit market dynamics at the local level. We construct a database documenting Big4 purchases of local Andersen offices. After exploring the factors associated with office purchases, we examine the impact of office purchases on public client market share gains and changes in audit fees. We find that three Big4 firms – Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and KPMG – purchased approximately 60% of Andersen’s offices while PricewaterhouseCoopers did not purchase any. The probability that a firm purchased a specific office is greater in markets where the acquiring firm: 1) already had a presence, 2) had a lower ratio of local Andersen clients to the purchaser’s clients, and 3) had already acquired relatively more local former Andersen public clients than other firms prior to the purchase. Our fee analysis expands the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) post-Andersen audit market study by documenting that the former Andersen clients’ change in audit fees is associated with the differences in client acquisition method

Agricultural and Natural Resources Awareness Programming: Barriers and Benefits as Perceived by County Extension Agents

The study described here assessed Extension agents\u27 perceived barriers and benefits concerning a new Florida agricultural and natural resources awareness initiative and Web site. A total of 186 agents responded to a statewide Web-based needs assessment, for an overall response rate of 58%. Results highlighted several barriers to communicating about agriculture and natural resources, including (a) a lack of interest, knowledge, and awareness among the general public, government, clientele, and media, (b) a lack of agent access to resources/contacts, and (c) inconsistent/ineffective message delivery methods. Concerning the Web site, most respondents wanted information to be presented via fact sheets, economic facts, and downloadable brochures