Trends in Farm Sector Output and Exports

Over time, the size of the farm sector has fallen relative to other sectors in the economy. However, the sector still has an important influence on the nation's pattern of economic growth and its exports. Over the last couple of decades the composition of farm production has moved towards crops and away from livestock. This has had an impact on how drought affects overall farm output, as crop production tends to fall sharply and then recover quickly when the drought breaks, while livestock production is relatively more resilient in the short term but is slower to recover.farm output; exports; drought; structural change

Bronchial thermoplasty: implementing best practice in the era of cost containment.

Increasing dependence on advanced technologies in the 21st century has created a dilemma between the practice and business of medicine. From information technology to robotic surgery, new technologies have expanded treatment possibilities and have potentially improved patient outcomes and safety. Simultaneously, their escalating costs limit access for certain patients and health care facilities. Nevertheless, medical decisions should not simply be based on cost. Input from physicians and other health care specialists as well as adherence to best practice position statements, are vital to implementing truly cost-effective strategies in medicine. Bronchial thermoplasty (BT), a US Food and Drug Administration approved bronchoscopy procedure in difficult-to-control persistent asthma, is a prime example of a new technology facing cost and implementation challenges. We discuss the specific indications and contraindications for BT and review recent real-world experiences that can provide the foundation for building a comprehensive asthma program that provides BT for difficult-to-control asthma patients who fail national guideline treatment recommendations after an adequate clinical trial of one. We also offer insight into the barriers to implementing a successful BT program and strategies for overcoming them

Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in an Adolescent

We present a case of a 17 year old male who presented with altered mental status and worsening hallucinations. Past medical history includes PTSD, ADHD, and pineal gland germinoma status post radiofrequency ablation. Presentation was remarkable for slow, dysarthric speech, mental disorientation, and delayed movements upon simple commands. Otherwise, vitals, baseline labs, imaging (Brain MRI), and diagnostics (EEG) were unremarkable. A multidisciplinary team decided to initially undergo psychiatric therapeutic intervention, focused on benzodiazepines and anti-psychotics, however patient’s status worsened, demonstrating catatonia, dystonia, and explosive agitation. Further laboratory investigation ruled out electrolyte disturbances, uremia/hepatic encephalopathy, thyroid storm, drug overdose/withdrawal, eventually settling on a working diagnosis of catatonic depression. Given his deteriorating mental status throughout admission and prior oncologic history, a lumbar puncture was performed to rule out other causes of encephalopathy, with CSF studies remarkable for the presence of NMDA encephalitis autoantibodies, most likely sequelae from his existing pineal gland germinoma. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disease associated with antibodies against N-methyl-D-aspartate (NDMA) receptors, which control electrical impulses in the brain. These autoantibodies can variably be associated with tumors and possibly responsive to immunotherapy. Initial treatment consisted of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), methylprednisolone and therapeutic plasma exchange. After minimal success, patient received rituximab and sirolimus, which resulted in improved psychomotor symptoms. Diagnosing Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis can be quite challenging, particularly with its variable presentation in the setting of prior psychiatric diagnoses. Classically, Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis demonstrates hyperkinetic movements (e.g. dystonia, dyskinesia, chorea, seizures); however, catatonic movements do occur, and can be a severe and life-threatening state. Being cognizant of the overlapping psychiatric and psychomotor symptoms, including catatonic features, can prompt the clinician to suspect and rule out Anti-NMDA encephalitis prior to settling on a primary psychiatric diagnosis

Identification of a novel ß-adrenergic octopamine receptor-like gene (ßAOR-like) and increased ATP-binding cassette B10 (ABCB10) expression in a Rhipicephalus microplus cell line derived from acaricide-resistant ticks

Background: The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is an economically important parasite of livestock. Effective control of ticks using acaricides is threatened by the emergence of resistance to many existing compounds. Several continuous R. microplus cell lines have been established and provide an under-utilised resource for studies into acaricide targets and potential genetic mutations associated with resistance. As a first step to genetic studies using these resources, this study aimed to determine the presence or absence of two genes and their transcripts that have been linked with acaricide function in cattle ticks: β-adrenergic octopamine receptor (βAOR, associated with amitraz resistance) and ATP-binding cassette B10 (ABCB10, associated with macrocyclic lactone resistance) in six R. microplus cell lines, five other Rhipicephalus spp. cell lines and three cell lines representing other tick genera (Amblyomma variegatum, Ixodes ricinus and Hyalomma anatolicum). Methods: End-point polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for detection of the βAOR gene and transcripts in DNA and RNA extracted from the tick cell lines, followed by capillary sequencing of amplicons. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed to determine the levels of expression of ABCB10. Results: βAOR gene expression was detected in all Rhipicephalus spp. cell lines. We observed a second amplicon of approximately 220 bp for the βAOR gene in the R. microplus cell line BME/CTVM6, derived from acaricide-resistant ticks. Sequencing of this transcript variant identified a 36 bp insertion in the βAOR gene, leading to a 12-amino acid insertion (LLKTLALVTIIS) in the first transmembrane domain of the protein. In addition, nine synonymous SNPs were also discovered in R. appendiculatus, R. evertsi and R. sanguineus cell lines. Some of these SNPs appear to be unique to each species, providing potential tools for differentiating the tick species. The BME/CTVM6 cell line had significantly higher ABCB10 (P = 0.002) expression than the other R. micropluscell lines. Conclusions: The present study has identified a new βAOR gene and demonstrated a higher ABCB10 expression level in the BME/CTVM6 cell line, indicating that tick cell lines provide a useful experimental tool for acaricide resistance studies and further elucidation of tick genetics

Financial Liberalization and Monetary Policy Cooperation in East Asia

As the countries in East Asia embark on financial liberalization, a key issue that confronts policymakers is the greater complexity of risks that is injected into the financial system. In particular, capital account liberalization may potentially increase the vulnerability of individual countries to external financial shocks. This paper advocates the optimally cascading of financial liberalization that is consistent across three dimensions: extent of domestic financial liberalization; the degree of exchange rate flexibility; and the scope of capital account liberalization. Unless the process of liberalization is properly managed, it could provoke destabilizing capital flows and lead to volatile exchange rates. Smooth responses to fluctuating capital flows require accelerated institutional reforms in individual countries and an upgraded regional financial infrastructure. We argue that informal monetary arrangements, sequenced from simple to more intensive commitments, can go a long way in improving sovereign and regional institutions both to handle ongoing financial liberalization and to promote intra-regional currency stability.

Molecular biology of amitraz resistance in cattle ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus

Amitraz is an important product for the control of cattle ticks around the world. In comparison with other products for the control of ticks, it is quite affordable and it has a rapid knock-down effect. It binds with and activates adrenergic neuro-receptors of animals and it inhibits the action of monoamine oxidases (MAO). Resistance to amitraz has been documented in Rhipicephalus microplus, R. decoloratus and R. appendiculatus. Four mechanisms of resistance have been proposed, each of which is supported by evidence but none of which has been definitively confirmed as the cause of resistance in the field. The proposed mechanisms include genetic target site insensitivity in two G protein-coupled receptors, the beta-adrenergic octopamine receptor (BAOR) and the octopamine/tyramine receptor (OCT/Tyr), increased expression or activity of monoamine oxidases and increased expression or activity of the ATP binding cassette transporter

Penning traps with unitary architecture for storage of highly charged ions

Penning traps are made extremely compact by embedding rare-earth permanent magnets in the electrode structure. Axially-oriented NdFeB magnets are used in unitary architectures that couple the electric and magnetic components into an integrated structure. We have constructed a two- magnet Penning trap with radial access to enable the use of laser or atomic beams, as well as the collection of light. An experimental apparatus equipped with ion optics is installed at the NIST electron beam ion trap (EBIT) facility, constrained to fit within 1 meter at the end of a horizontal beamline for transporting highly charged ions. Highly charged ions of neon and argon, extracted with initial energies up to 4000 eV per unit charge, are captured and stored to study the confinement properties of a one-magnet trap and a two-magnet trap. Design considerations and some test results are discussed