Evolution of Drosophila insecticide resistance

Genome ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Morton
Keyword(s):  
Insecticide Resistance ◽  
Quantitative Traits ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Resistance Evolution ◽  
Target Molecules ◽  
Genetic Techniques ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Selection Of

The impact of insecticide resistance is well documented. It includes the toxic effects of pesticides on the environment and the cost of the increased amounts of insecticides required to effectively control resistant insects. Resistance evolves by the selection of genes that confer tolerance to insecticides. Several resistance genes have been identified and cloned in Drosophila, including genes for mutant target molecules and genes that increase insecticide degradation. Drosophila is a useful system to understand the evolution of quantitative traits in general as well as the population genetics of insecticide resistance. Through it, we may hope to understand the relationship between discrete genetic change and continuously varying characters. In addition, molecular genetic techniques developed using Drosophila can eventually be transferred to other insects in order to help control pest populations.Key words: insecticide resistance, evolution of tolerance, selection of resistant genes, molecular genetics, Drosophila.

Pound Wise and Penny Foolish? Weight Loss and The Dynamics of Health Care Spending

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G Koch
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Health Care Spending ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Dynamic Measures ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Current estimates of obesity costs ignore the impact of future weight loss and gain, and may either over or underestimate economic consequences of weight loss. In light of this, I construct static and dynamic measures of medical costs associated with body mass index (BMI), to be balanced against the cost of one-time interventions. This study finds that ignoring the implications of weight loss and gain over time overstates the medical-cost savings of such interventions by an order of magnitude. When the relationship between spending and age is allowed to vary, weight-loss attempts appear to be cost-effective starting and ending with middle age. Some interventions recently proven to decrease weight may also be cost-effective.

scholarly journals The Impact of Alkaloid-Producing Epichloë Endophyte on Forage Ryegrass Breeding: A New Zealand Perspective

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Colin Eady
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Abiotic Stressors ◽  
Livestock Health ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Epichloë Endophyte

For 30 years, forage ryegrass breeding has known that the germplasm may contain a maternally inherited symbiotic Epichloë endophyte. These endophytes produce a suite of secondary alkaloid compounds, dependent upon strain. Many produce ergot and other alkaloids, which are associated with both insect deterrence and livestock health issues. The levels of alkaloids and other endophyte characteristics are influenced by strain, host germplasm, and environmental conditions. Some strains in the right host germplasm can confer an advantage over biotic and abiotic stressors, thus acting as a maternally inherited desirable ‘trait’. Through seed production, these mutualistic endophytes do not transmit into 100% of the crop seed and are less vigorous than the grass seed itself. This causes stability and longevity issues for seed production and storage should the ‘trait’ be desired in the germplasm. This makes understanding the precise nature of the relationship vitally important to the plant breeder. These Epichloë endophytes cannot be ‘bred’ in the conventional sense, as they are asexual. Instead, the breeder may modulate endophyte characteristics through selection of host germplasm, a sort of breeding by proxy. This article explores, from a forage seed company perspective, the issues that endophyte characteristics and breeding them by proxy have on ryegrass breeding, and outlines the methods used to assess the ‘trait’, and the application of these through the breeding, production, and deployment processes. Finally, this article investigates opportunities for enhancing the utilisation of alkaloid-producing endophytes within pastures, with a focus on balancing alkaloid levels to further enhance pest deterrence and improving livestock outcomes.

The Impact of Cloud Computing on Organizational Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 136-151
Author(s):  
Thura Al-Azzawi ◽  
Tugberk Kaya
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Direct Relation ◽  
Organizational Agility ◽  
Cloud Computing Adoption ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The use of cloud computing has remarkable advantages in business performance. It is related especially in the portion of the organizational environment, such as organizational culture and organizational agility. Organizational agility provides an easier process to search and retrieve knowledge and allow the businesses to utilize and apply this knowledge to get high-quality services. Agility and culture factors can help organizations to enhance their cloud computing adoption. The achievement of any organization is dependent upon human resources. With human resources, the organization can develop its employees by sharing knowledge, skill, and experience of personnel. Expert cloud has a significant impact on and direct relation with human resources as it facilitates the communication among human resources better, more efficiently, and reduces the cost of the service. In this paper, the authors discuss the relationship between expert cloud and human resources to enhance the organizational performance through the assistance of organizational agility and culture.

scholarly journals Methods for the estimation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence cost-effectiveness threshold

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (14) ◽  
pp. 1-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Claxton ◽  
Steve Martin ◽  
Marta Soares ◽  
Nigel Rice ◽  
Eldon Spackman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
The Other ◽  
Opportunity Costs ◽  
Best Estimate ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Threshold ◽  
Effectiveness Threshold

BackgroundCost-effectiveness analysis involves the comparison of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of a new technology, which is more costly than existing alternatives, with the cost-effectiveness threshold. This indicates whether or not the health expected to be gained from its use exceeds the health expected to be lost elsewhere as other health-care activities are displaced. The threshold therefore represents the additional cost that has to be imposed on the system to forgo 1 quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of health through displacement. There are no empirical estimates of the cost-effectiveness threshold used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.Objectives(1) To provide a conceptual framework to define the cost-effectiveness threshold and to provide the basis for its empirical estimation. (2) Using programme budgeting data for the English NHS, to estimate the relationship between changes in overall NHS expenditure and changes in mortality. (3) To extend this mortality measure of the health effects of a change in expenditure to life-years and to QALYs by estimating the quality-of-life (QoL) associated with effects on years of life and the additional direct impact on QoL itself. (4) To present the best estimate of the cost-effectiveness threshold for policy purposes.MethodsEarlier econometric analysis estimated the relationship between differences in primary care trust (PCT) spending, across programme budget categories (PBCs), and associated disease-specific mortality. This research is extended in several ways including estimating the impact of marginal increases or decreases in overall NHS expenditure on spending in each of the 23 PBCs. Further stages of work link the econometrics to broader health effects in terms of QALYs.ResultsThe most relevant ‘central’ threshold is estimated to be £12,936 per QALY (2008 expenditure, 2008–10 mortality). Uncertainty analysis indicates that the probability that the threshold is < £20,000 per QALY is 0.89 and the probability that it is < £30,000 per QALY is 0.97. Additional ‘structural’ uncertainty suggests, on balance, that the central or best estimate is, if anything, likely to be an overestimate. The health effects of changes in expenditure are greater when PCTs are under more financial pressure and are more likely to be disinvesting than investing. This indicates that the central estimate of the threshold is likely to be an overestimate for all technologies which impose net costs on the NHS and the appropriate threshold to apply should be lower for technologies which have a greater impact on NHS costs.LimitationsThe central estimate is based on identifying a preferred analysis at each stage based on the analysis that made the best use of available information, whether or not the assumptions required appeared more reasonable than the other alternatives available, and which provided a more complete picture of the likely health effects of a change in expenditure. However, the limitation of currently available data means that there is substantial uncertainty associated with the estimate of the overall threshold.ConclusionsThe methods go some way to providing an empirical estimate of the scale of opportunity costs the NHS faces when considering whether or not the health benefits associated with new technologies are greater than the health that is likely to be lost elsewhere in the NHS. Priorities for future research include estimating the threshold for subsequent waves of expenditure and outcome data, for example by utilising expenditure and outcomes available at the level of Clinical Commissioning Groups as well as additional data collected on QoL and updated estimates of incidence (by age and gender) and duration of disease. Nonetheless, the study also starts to make the other NHS patients, who ultimately bear the opportunity costs of such decisions, less abstract and more ‘known’ in social decisions.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research-Medical Research Council Methodology Research Programme.

scholarly journals Comments on "Researcher bias: The use of machine learning in software defect prediction"

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chakkrit Tantithamthavorn ◽  
Shane McIntosh ◽  
Ahmed E Hassan ◽  
Kenichi Matsumoto
Keyword(s):  
Prediction Model ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Model Performance ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Defect Prediction ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Software Defect ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Selection Of

Shepperd et al. (2014) find that the reported performance of a defect prediction model shares a strong relationship with the group of researchers who construct the models. In this paper, we perform an alternative investigation of Shepperd et al. (2014)’s data. We observe that (a) researcher group shares a strong association with the dataset and metric families that are used to build a model; (b) the strong association among the explanatory variables introduces a large amount of interference when interpreting the impact of the researcher group on model performance; and (c) after mitigating the interference, we find that the researcher group has a smaller impact than the metric family. These observations lead us to conclude that the relationship between the researcher group and the performance of a defect prediction model may have more to do with the tendency of researchers to reuse experimental components (e.g., datasets and metrics). We recommend that researchers experiment with a broader selection of datasets and metrics to combat potential bias in their results.

scholarly journals The Impact of Government Subsidies on Private R&D Investment in Different Markets

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Jinglve Wang ◽  
Guohua Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Private Investment ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Government Subsidies ◽  
End Products ◽  
Game Theoretic ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
D Investment ◽  
Governmental Subsidy

In contrast to the econometric models that have been commonly used throughout a large portion of the literature, we develop six game-theoretic models to analyze governmental subsidy strategies in different market environments and to investigate the question of whether government subsidies crowd in or crowd out private investment in R&D activities. Based on realistic situations, we classify governmental subsidy strategies into three types, namely, no subsidy provided, subsidies provided based on the price of the end products, and subsidies provided based on the cost of R&D. In addition, according to whether competition exists in the market, we classify markets into monopoly markets and duopoly markets. Our research shows (a) that the relationship between government subsidies and private R&D investment is deeply impacted by the form of the subsidies used; (b) that the characteristic value of the R&D project and the competitive environment of the market are the two key factors that should be considered when governments decide which form of subsidy to employ; and (c) the optimal amount for each type of subsidy.

scholarly journals Understanding the relationship between depression and diabetic foot ulcers

2016 ◽  
Vol 04 (01) ◽  
pp. 017-024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Steel ◽  
John Reece ◽  
Anne-Marie Daw
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Diabetic Foot ◽  
Foot Ulcers ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Diabetic Foot Ulcers ◽  
Biological Relationship ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Concept Review ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe prevalence of diabetes is increasing, as is the cost of managing its comorbidities. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and their complications place a considerable cost burden on the health system, and lead to a significant level of disability. The relationship between depression and diabetes is well-established. The relationship between depression and foot ulcers in diabetic patients is less well-established. The purpose of this article is to provide a current concept review of the literature from 1988 to 2013, linking DFUs and depressive symptoms, with an emphasis on the impact depressive symptoms have on healing rates of DFUs. Articles specifically focusing on the biological relationship, depression′s impact on self-care, screening for depressive symptoms, causes and cost of treating DFUs, and measuring depression were reviewed. A deeper understanding of this relationship is needed to identify causal relationships, improve treatment outcomes, and reduce healing times of DFUs.

scholarly journals Evolutionary optimization of speed and accuracy of decoding on the ribosome

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1580) ◽  
pp. 2979-2986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Wohlgemuth ◽  
Corinna Pohl ◽  
Joerg Mittelstaet ◽  
Andrey L. Konevega ◽  
Marina V. Rodnina
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Living Cells ◽  
Translational Machinery ◽  
Fundamental Parameters ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Speed And Accuracy ◽  
Bacterial Translation ◽  
Selection Of

Speed and accuracy of protein synthesis are fundamental parameters for the fitness of living cells, the quality control of translation, and the evolution of ribosomes. The ribosome developed complex mechanisms that allow for a uniform recognition and selection of any cognate aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) and discrimination against any near-cognate aa-tRNA, regardless of the nature or position of the mismatch. This review describes the principles of the selection—kinetic partitioning and induced fit—and discusses the relationship between speed and accuracy of decoding, with a focus on bacterial translation. The translational machinery apparently has evolved towards high speed of translation at the cost of fidelity.

scholarly journals The Impact of Fee and Liability Waivers on Patronage of Rattray Park in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-71
Author(s):  
Seth Koli ◽  
Conrad-J. Wuleka Kuuder ◽  
Getrude Poku
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
P Value ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Safety Awareness ◽  
Questionnaire Administration ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Recreational Use

The study assessed the relationship between fee and liability waivers introduced at Rattray Park vis-a-vis its patronage by low income earners within the Kumasi Metropolis. Barriers to park use as well as safety awareness were also analysed. The research design adopted as a guide was the survey study method. In all, 141 revellers were contacted through questionnaire administration within a 3-day period during the programme. Indepth Interview (IDI) schedules were also conducted with key stakeholders who were incharge of organising the waiver programmes. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS while qualitative data were manually transcribed. The study revealed that low income earners took advantage of the waiver programmes (attested by 44% of respondents) with p-value of 0.034 to make use of the park. Similarly, about 70% of respondents consideredinability to afford the cost of entry tickets a factor which hindered their recreational use of the park. The fee waiver concept was noted in the study as well-intended and a strategic recommendation suggested by park-goers signaled the need for boosting recreational activities in the park to engage visitors all day long for a richer experience. Keywords: Fee Waivers, Liability Waivers, Revellers, Rattray Park, Low Income Earners

scholarly journals Analysis of the Distribution Influence of the Density of Cost-forming Factors on Results of the LCCA Calculations

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 101-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Rogalska ◽  
J. Żelazna-Pawlicka
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Probability Density ◽  
Price Level ◽  
Probability Distributions ◽  
Indirect Costs ◽  
Density Distributions ◽  
Probability Density Distributions ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractThe paper evaluates the relationship between the selection of the probability density function and the construction price, and the price of the building's life cycle, in relation to the deterministic cost estimate in terms of the minimum, mean, and maximum. The deterministic cost estimates were made based on the minimum, mean, and maximum prices: labor rates, indirect costs, profit, and the cost of equipment and materials. The net construction prices received were given different probability density distributions based on the minimum, mean, and maximum values. Twelve kinds of probability distributions were used: triangular, normal, lognormal, beta pert, gamma, beta, exponential, Laplace, Cauchy, Gumbel, Rayleigh, and uniform. The results of calculations with the event probability from 5 to 95% were subjected to the statistical comparative analysis. The dependencies between the results of calculations were determined, for which different probability density distributions of price factors were assumed. A certain price level was assigned to specific distributions in 6 groups based on the t-test. It was shown that each of the distributions analyzed is suitable for use, however, it has consequences in the form of a final result. The lowest final price is obtained using the gamma distribution, the highest is obtained by the beta distribution, beta pert, normal, and uniform.

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