Mobile Image Ratiometry for the Detection of Botrytis cinerea (Gray Mold)

Mobile Platform Informatics (MPI) and Smartphone Informatics (SPI) methods like Mobile Image Ratiometry (MIR) are potentially transformative point-of-use instantaneous analysis tools that are useful across a variety of industries. In agriculture, MIR-compatible immuno test strips allow early detection of a number of biotic stressors before devastating crop losses occur. Here we describe a low-cost and easy-to-use Smartphone and/or tablet-based protocol (Mobile Assay Inc., www.mobileassay.com) for the detection and on-sight instantaneous analysis of B. cinerea, a fungus that causes significant damage to a variety of plants and flowers. Early detection and tracking of the B. cinerea fungus before the visible gray mold appears has the potential to increase agricultural productivity especially in the developing world

Sex differences in the associations between birthweight and lipid levels in middle-age: findings from the 1958 British birth cohort

Objective To examine sex differences in birthweight–lipid associations. Methods and results Using prospectively collected data on birthweight and non-fasting lipid levels at age 44–45 y from the 1958 British birth cohort (3603 men and 3583 women), sex differences in birthweight–lipid associations were examined. There were inverse associations between birthweight and total and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol among women (a 1 kg increase in birthweight was associated with a 0.13 mmol/L reduction in total cholesterol (p < 0.001) and a 0.07 mmol/L reduction in LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.02)) but no associations among men (p = 0.005 and p = 0.01, respectively, for birthweight × sex interactions). There was an inverse association between birthweight and triglycerides of a similar magnitude in both sexes (a 1 kg increase in birthweight was associated with a 7% reduction in triglyceride levels in sex-adjusted models (p < 0.001)). There was no association between birthweight and high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol. Associations were largely unaltered after adjustment for covariates. Of birthweight, current height and BMI, the latter was the strongest predictor of lipid levels. Conclusions The finding of an inverse association between birthweight and triglycerides in both sexes and of inverse associations between birthweight and total and LDL-cholesterol only in women suggests that the mechanisms underlying the associations with birthweight may vary for different lipids

Knowledge transfer in a tourism destination: the effects of a network structure

Tourism destinations have a necessity to innovate to remain competitive in an increasingly global environment. A pre-requisite for innovation is the understanding of how destinations source, share and use knowledge. This conceptual paper examines the nature of networks and how their analysis can shed light upon the processes of knowledge sharing in destinations as they strive to innovate. The paper conceptualizes destinations as networks of connected organizations, both public and private, each of which can be considered as a destination stakeholder. In network theory they represent the nodes within the system. The paper shows how epidemic diffusion models can act as an analogy for knowledge communication and transfer within a destination network. These models can be combined with other approaches to network analysis to shed light on how destination networks operate, and how they can be optimized with policy intervention to deliver innovative and competitive destinations. The paper closes with a practical tourism example taken from the Italian destination of Elba. Using numerical simulations the case demonstrates how the Elba network can be optimized. Overall this paper demonstrates the considerable utility of network analysis for tourism in delivering destination competitiveness.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. Forthcoming in: The Service Industries Journal, vol. 30, n. 8, 2010. Special Issue on: Advances in service network analysis v2: addeded and corrected reference

'It was absolute hell': inside the private prison

As part of a broader current of critique of the economic and political dynamics of prison privatisation - a critique that initially emanated from the USA - this paper focuses on Scotland and on research carried out at its then only private penal institution, HMP Kilmarnock. The authors dismantle the government's case for extending prison privatisation by drilling deep into the experience of Kilmarnock and demonstrating the deleterious effects of marketisation for prison officers and prisoners alike. Degraded pay and conditions and systemic understaffing corroded morale, exposed staff and inmates to risk, and contributed to massive officer turnover. Compelling evidence comes from sources ordinarily unavailable to critical researchers,such as internal company and government documentation

Spectrographic coverage and data reduction of nasa chemical release. studies directed toward design and development of new spectrographic instrumentation final report

Slitless spectrograph for upper atmosphere chemical release

A Joint Framework for Analysis of Agri-Environmental Payment Programs

This paper presents an approach for simultaneously estimating farmers' decisions to accept incentive payments in return for adopting a bundle of environmentally benign management practices. Using the results of a multinomial probit analysis of surveys of over 1,000 farmers facing ten adoption decisions in an EQIP-type program, we show how the farmers' perceptions of the desirability of various bundles changes with the offer amounts and with which practices are offered in the program.incentive payments, EQIP, simulated multivariate normal, multinomial probit, simulated maximum likelihood estimation, best management practices, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Economic Aspects of Revenue-Based Commodity Support

Interest in revenue-based commodity support is evident in the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill), which gives eligible producers the option of participating in the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program in return for reductions and eliminations of payments under more traditional programs. This report examines how the uncertainty in U.S. domestic commodity support payments for corn may differ between traditional-style approaches (defined as price-based payments plus yield-based disaster payments) to support and two revenue-based support scenarios. Variability around the total expected annual payment was found to be lower under revenue-based support, as was the probability of high payments. These results suggest potential advantages to this type of support, both in terms of lower budgetary uncertainty for the Federal Government and in better ensuring that agricultural support outlays stay below a certain ceiling. In addition, the volatility of corn revenue was found to be lower in almost all corn producing counties under the revenue-based alternatives than under the traditional price-based approaches.Domestic commodity support, revenue-based support, marketing loan benefits, countercyclical payments, disaster assistance, Federal crop insurance, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Demand and Price Analysis, Financial Economics,