Did incentives help municipalities recover from the Great Recession? Evidence from Midwestern cities

This study assesses the impacts of local business incentives in the largest urban areas of Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, three Midwestern states that share similar histories and settings. We assembled a unique dataset combining information on two types of incentives, tax increment financing districts and tax abatements, together with socio‐economic, geographic, fiscal, and spatial competitive characteristics for all of the municipalities in six metropolitan areas. The outcome measures include employment growth, establishment formation, and business relocation. The analysis extends knowledge of the effects of economic development incentives in two ways. First, we improve upon previous research by incorporating key factors in municipal decisions to offer incentives. Second, we add to limited empirical evidence concerning local incentives following the Great Recession. Variation in the use of incentives reflects not only local decision‐making but also differing fiscal capacities and situations of adaptation to adverse economic conditions, with some governments pulling back on incentives and others initiating new approaches to retain or lure businesses.     

Genomic variability among globally distributed isolates of equine arteritis virus.

Equine arteritis virus (EAV), a non-arthropod borne togavirus, has been shown to have a global distribution. To date, no major antigenic variation has been demonstrated between EAV isolates from different geographic origins. In this study, the genomic RNA of EAV isolates obtained from horses of different breeds in various countries around the world was oligonucleotide fingerprinted. Comparisons of these fingerprints were used to determine the extent of genomic variation among such isolates. Comparisons among isolates from North American horses revealed, for the most part, oligonucleotide homologies of less than 60%. Only 29 of the 98 comparisons revealed greater than 60% oligonucleotide homology. Nonetheless, several comparisons indicated a close epidemiologic relationship between isolates from horses of different breeds located in different states. Though all European isolates were of Standardbred origin and were from horses located in northern European countries, the majority had oligonucleotide homologies of less than 60%. Where oligonucleotide homology was apparent, it was, with one exception, greater than 70%. The two isolates from New Zealand had 93.2% oligonucleotide homology. This is indicative of an extremely close epidemiologic relationship. Comparisons between EAV isolates from around the world revealed oligonucleotide homologies between viruses from North America, Europe and New Zealand. In several instances, this homology was greater than 70% and in one case greater than 80%. No oligonucleotide homology was evident in comparisons involving the virus from South Africa. The high level of genomic conservation between certain EAV isolates of disparate geographic origins may reflect dissemination of the virus associated with the international movement of horses. The extent of genomic variation demonstrated between most of the EAV isolates used in this study confirms the need for further investigation of genomic heterogeneity among strains of this virus before techniques that rely upon nucleic acid hybridization can be effectively applied as diagnostic procedures.     

Long-term application of animal slurries to grassland alters soil cation balance

Abstract. Soil samples from a 32-year grassland field experiment were taken from 0–5, 5–10, and 10–15 cm soil depths in February 2002. Plots received annual treatments of unamended control, mineral fertilizer, three rates of pig slurry and three rates of cow slurry, each with six replicates. Samples were analysed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), pH and Olsen P. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was calculated as a sodicity indicator. Mean ESP was generally greater for slurry treatments than the control, with a trend of increasing ESP with application rate. This was particularly marked for cow slurry. At 0–5 cm depth ESP increased from 1.18 in the control to 1.75 at the highest rate of pig slurry and 5.60 at the highest rate of cow slurry. Similar trends were shown for CEC, exchangeable Na⁺, K⁺ and Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Olsen P. The build-up of soil P due to slurry applications, together with this combination of physical and chemical factors, may increase the risk of P loss to surface waters, particularly from soils receiving high rates of cow slurry.     

Coagulopathic Effects and Therapy of Brodifacoum Toxicosis in Dogs

The clinical signs and laboratory changes of brodifacoum (BDF) intoxicated dogs and their response to vitamin K1 treatment were examined. Brodifacoum, a second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide, was fed to four dogs for 3 consecutive days producing a cumulative dose of 1.1 mg BDF/kg body weight. Clinical observations of the animals were made daily throughout the study. Monitored laboratory parameters included: one-stage prothrombin time (OSPT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), activated coagulation time (ACT), complete blood counts, thrombocyte counts, and serum chemistry values. Response to vitamin K1 therapy was evaluated clinically and by laboratory tests. Serum BDF concentrations were monitored. Inappetence and hemorrhagic tendencies were exhibited by day 5 postrodenticide exposure. One-stage prothrombin time, APTT, and ACT were 25% greater than time zero values at 24, 24, and 72 hours postdosing, respectively. All laboratory parameters returned to normal within 48 hours of initiating vitamin K1 therapy (0.83 mg/kg orally, TID for 5 days). Serum brodifacoum concentrations were highest (1065-1215 ng/mL) during the 3 days after BDF dosing and were detectable (3.0-7.5 ng/mL) until day 24 postexposure. A mean BDF elimination half-life of 6 +/- 4 days was observed.     

Observations on the use of feeding space in a commercial broiler chicken house

1. Observations were made on the use of food pans and food trays by commercially grown broiler chickens.

2. Birds fed by going inside the feeders on top of the food or from standing around the outside of the feeders. The feeding times of birds inside feeders were significantly longer than those of birds outside. Different reasons to account for this are proposed for the 2 types of feeder.

3. The total number of birds able to feed together from a tray or pan changed as the birds grew. With trays this change in the number of birds was a steady decline. With pans the change was non‐linear and reflected a changing ratio of birds eating in to birds eating out. This ratio was influenced by pan design features and by competition for feeding space.

4. The data suggest that a linear measure of feeding space, as used in research trials and Codes of Practice for Welfare, does not adequately describe birds’ access to and use of feeding space. Implications for both research and the commercial industry are discussed.     

Oral malignant melanoma – the effect of coarse fractionation radiotherapy alone or with adjuvant carboplatin therapy

A retrospective study was undertaken of dogs presented to the Animal Health Trust for treatment of oral malignant melanoma, without radiographic evidence of pulmonary metastases. Group 1 (n = 13) received radiotherapy of the primary and any lymph node metastases (4 weekly fractions of 9 Gy); and group 2 (n = 15) were treated the same but additionally received between two and six doses carboplatin at 300 mg m^?2 every 3 weeks. Median survival times for the two groups were 307 and 286 days, respectively (P > 0.05). In addition, carboplatin therapy did not significantly reduce the proportion of dogs dying due to metastases (three from group 1 and four from group 2). We found no evidence of a beneficial effect of carboplatin therapy over radiotherapy alone.