Could natural selection change the geographic range limits of light brown apple moth (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) in North America?

We artificially selected for increased freeze tolerance in the invasive light brown apple moth. Our results suggest that, by not accounting for adaptation to cold, current models of potential geographic distributions could underestimate the areas at risk of exposure to this species

MEASURING GAINS IN OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY FROM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: A STUDY OF THE POSITRAN DEPLOYMENT AT HARDEE'S INC.

This paper presents a new approach to measuring the input productivity gains from information technology (IT) in complex managerial environments. The approach is illustrated in the context of a study of a pilot deployment at Hardee's Inc. of a new cash register point-of-safe and order-coordination technology called âPositran." The method employs data envelopment analysis (DEA) and nonparametric production frontier hypothesis testing to determine whether the performance of restaurants that have deployed Positran is better, on average, than for those that have not. The design of the study is of special interest because it approximates a controlled experiment. Our results show that Positran helped to reduce input materials costs, since restaurants that deployed the technology were less likely to be inefficient It is further possible to characterize the class of restaurants for which the relationship holds. Operational efficiency measures such as the ones we have developed provide managers with the opportunity to implement deployment strategies for new ITs in order to maximize value.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

MEASURING INPUT PRODUCTIVITY GAINS FROM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

This paper proposes a new method to measure the input productivity gains from information technology in complex managerial environments. The method employs a production function which maps output and relating moderating variables in the managerial environment into input resource consumption, with a random inefficiency component which can be affected by IT deployment. Sample hypotheses and a sketch of the F-tests used to identify reductions in input inefficiency are presented, and then illustrated for a new information technology which has recently been deployed in fast food restaurants.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Case Study: A Comparative Analysis Of Financial And Quality Indicators Of Nursing Homes That Have Closed And Nursing Homes That Have Remained Open

Eight New York nursing homes, 4 open and 4 closed, were chosen at random for analysis.  They were examined to determine if a relationship between age of assets, fiscal viability and quality   of care existed.  Three years of data for each nursing home was selected  Several financial variables were used to construct a fiscal viability index; and a patient care index was created from selected measures that are used to measure specific aspects of institutional care.  The premise was that the constructed indices will demonstrate a significant difference between closed nursing homes and homes remaining open.  The analysis found that fiscal viability index could be a significant factor to differentiate the two groups of nursing homes, but the quality index showed no significant difference between the two groups

A Comparative Analysis: The Impact Of Non-Operating Revenues On Financial Viability Of Urban And Rural Hospitals

Fifty New York hospitals, 25 urban facilities and 25 rural facilities, were chosen at random for analysis.  They were examined to determine whether non-operating revenue – contributions, gifts, grants (as defined by IRS, Form 990) – plays an important role in fiscal viability .  Three years of data, 2005 – 2007, for each hospital was selected, and several financial variables were used to construct a fiscal viability index. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a positive difference in the fiscal health of hospitals when the hospitals can solicit more income from non-healthcare/non-operating activities in the form of outside gifts and grants.  Another main purpose of this study was to determine which hospital sector, if any – urban vs. rural – is more dependent upon non-operating revenues for their fiscal viability

Umbilical Cord Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Inhibit T Cell Response to Peptide

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been shown to possess immunomodulatory properties that highlight their potential as a cellular therapy for autoimmune disease. We propose to examine the in vitro potential of stem cells derived from umbilical cord tissue to suppress the effector functions of human auto-reactive T cells. While the mechanism(s) of suppression of T cell function are not fully understood, it has been hypothesized that MSC-derived immunosuppressive soluble factors and cell-to-cell contact are important. We developed an in vitro culture assay to assess the effects of umbilical cord derived MSC (TC-MSC) on T cell function. Various doses of low-passage TC-MSCs were adhered to collagen-coated 96 well plates or in the lower chamber wells of transwell plates. HLA-matched EBV transformed B cells were pulsed +/- with appropriate autoantigenic peptide and cultured with adherent MSC or in the upper transwell chambers with the appropriate T cell clone. After 48 hours, cells were stained for CD4 and stained intracellularly for IFN-γ and analyzed by flow cytometry. We observed decreased T cell effector function with MSC co-culture and this was partially restored by separation of MSC and T cell+B cell+peptide in the transwell. We examined if prostaglandin E2 derived from the MSC also contributed to decreased T cell effector function. The inclusion of a COX-2 inhibitor in the culture system led to partially restored T cell effector function. We conclude that TC-MSC-derived soluble factor(s) and TC-MSC:T cell contact both contribute to the TC-MSC’s immunosuppressive effects. Primary TC-MSC isolates (with no prior cell culture) will also be tested in this system to determine if they possess similar immunosuppressive effects as adherent, cultured TC-MSC. These studies will pinpoint the functional mechanisms of the TC-MSC immunomodulatory properties on T cell effector function and may suggest avenues of enhancing MSC function in the treatment of autoimmune disease

Mechanisms of nuclear content loading to exosomes.

Exosome cargoes are highly varied and include proteins, small RNAs, and genomic DNA (gDNA). The presence of gDNA suggests that different intracellular compartments contribute to exosome loading, resulting in distinct exosome subpopulations. However, the loading of gDNA and other nuclear contents into exosomes (nExo) remains poorly understood. Here, we identify the relationship between cancer cell micronuclei (MN), which are markers of genomic instability, and nExo formation. Imaging flow cytometry analyses reveal that 10% of exosomes derived from cancer cells and <1% of exosomes derived from blood and ascites from patients with ovarian cancer carry nuclear contents. Treatment with genotoxic drugs resulted in increased MN and nExos both in vitro and in vivo. We observed that multivesicular body precursors and exosomal markers, such as the tetraspanins, directly interact with MN. Collectively, this work provides new insights related to nExos, which have implications for cancer biomarker development

MEASURING INPUT PRODUCTIVITY GAINS FROM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

This paper proposes a new method to measure the input productivity gains from information technology in complex managerial environments. The method employs a production function which maps output and relating moderating variables in the managerial environment into input resource consumption, with a random inefficiency component which can be affected by IT deployment. Sample hypotheses and a sketch of the F-tests used to identify reductions in input inefficiency are presented, and then illustrated for a new information technology which has recently been deployed in fast food restaurants.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

MEASURING GAINS IN OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY FROM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: A STUDY OF THE POSITRAN DEPLOYMENT AT HARDEE'S INC.

This paper presents a new approach to measuring the input productivity gains from information technology (IT) in complex managerial environments. The approach is illustrated in the context of a study of a pilot deployment at Hardee's Inc. of a new cash register point-of-safe and order-coordination technology called âPositran." The method employs data envelopment analysis (DEA) and nonparametric production frontier hypothesis testing to determine whether the performance of restaurants that have deployed Positran is better, on average, than for those that have not. The design of the study is of special interest because it approximates a controlled experiment. Our results show that Positran helped to reduce input materials costs, since restaurants that deployed the technology were less likely to be inefficient It is further possible to characterize the class of restaurants for which the relationship holds. Operational efficiency measures such as the ones we have developed provide managers with the opportunity to implement deployment strategies for new ITs in order to maximize value.Information Systems Working Papers Serie