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Investigated whether abdominal fat accumulation and levels of triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose differed between 123 active and inactive women with multiple sclerosis (MS). Results indicated that low-to-moderate leisure time physical activity significantly related to less abdominal fat accumulation, lower triglyceride levels, and lower glucose levels, thus improving coronary heart disease risk. (SM)

This study uses the Engle-Granger cointegration method to examine the correlation relationship among prices of North American softwood lumber species, wood-based panel prices, and US single-family housing starts. The methodology employed is identical to that used by US petitioners in the latest round of the Canada--United States softwood lumber trade dispute, whereby petitioners argued that all North American species of softwood lumber were considered to be nearly perfect substitutes for one another. Tests for nonstationarity using the augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test, as well as our cointegration results, confirm petitioners' results. We find evidence of a long-term cointegrating relationship among the prices of North American softwood lumber species. However, we found no clear evidence of nearly perfect substitutability among different North American softwood lumber species. Additional analysis reveals that a long-run equilibrium relationship also exists between North American softwood lumber species and four types of wood-based panel products, as well as US single-family housing starts. Given that the price movements of different wood-based panel products and single-family housing starts are highly correlated with the price movement of North American softwood lumber species, we fail to conclude that North American softwood lumber species can be claimed as nearly perfect substitutes. Furthermore, we find that the petitioners' analysis is deficient in that it does not account for the fact that cointegration in prices among North American species of softwood lumber can be caused by common demand-side factors, such as residential construction activity. Ce travail utilise la methode de co-integration de Engler-Granger pour etudier la relation de correlation entre le prix des differentes especes nord-americaines de bois d'ceuvre resineux, le prix des panneaux derives du bois et les mises en chantier de maisons unifamiliales aux Etats-Unis. La methodologie utilisee est identique a celle des requerants americains lors des dernieres negociations dans le differend entre le Canada et les Etats-Unis an sujet du bois d'ceuvre resineux. Les requerants americains soutenaient que toutes les especes nord-americaines de bois d'ceuvre pouvaient etre considerees comme des substituts presque parfaits. Nous avons des indices qu'il y a une relation de co-integration a long terme entre le prix des especes nord-americaines de bois d'ceuvre resineux. D'autres analyses revelent qu'il existe un equilibre a long terme entre les especes nord-americaines de bois d'ceuvre resineux et quatre types de panneaux derives du bois, de meme qu' avec les mises en chantier de maisons unifamiliales aux Etats-Unis. Etant donne que les fluctuations du prix de differents panneaux derives du bois et les mises en chantier de maisons unifamiliales aux Etats-Unis sont etroitement correlees avec les fluctuations du prix des especes nord-americaines de bois d'ceuvre resineux, nous arrivons a la conclusion que les differentes especes nord-americaines de bois d'ceuvre resineux ne peuvent etre considerees comme des substituts presque parfaits. De plus, nous constatons que 'analyse des requerants americains est incomplete parce qu'elle ne tient pas compte du fait que la co-integration des prix chez les especes nord-americaines de bois d'ceuvre resineux pent etre due a des facteurs couramment associes a la demande tels que l' activity dans le secteur de la construction residentielle. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction The United States is the world's largest producer of industrial wood products, manufacturing approximately 34.52 x [10.sup.9] board feet (1000 board feet = 2.36 [m.sup.3]) of softwood lumber in [...]

Over the past 20 years, four significant and contentious softwood lumber trade disputes have taken place between the United States and Canada. The US International Trade Commission (USITC), relying on aggregate market assessments using elasticity of demand estimation and cointegration methods, has ruled that all North American softwood lumber species are perfectly fungible. The objective of this study is to disaggregate the US softwood lumber market by estimating cross-price elasticity of demand for North American softwood lumber species and species groups in three major end-use markets (floor framing, roof framing, and wall framing products) using a discrete choice preference model. Specifically, this study utilizes a choice-based conjoint model to estimate species and species group preferences, market shares, and price-demand relationships for North American softwood lumber. Research results are compared with published aggregate market cross-price elasticity of demand estimates, such as those relied upon by USITC, to determine whether North American softwood lumber species and species groups are perfectly fungible in the three largest softwood lumber end-use markets. Results demonstrate that distinct differences exist in the substitutability between North American species and species groups of softwood lumber. The results provide notable implications in future USITC trade analyses of the US- Canadian softwood lumber trade issue. Au cours des 20 dernieres annees, quatre litiges importants et controverses entre les Etats-Unis et le Canada sont survenus au sujet du commerce du bois d'oeuvre resineux. La Commission du commerce international des Etats- Unis (USITC), s'appuyant sur l'estimation de l'elasticite de la demande du marche global et des methodes de cointegration, a etabli que les essences de bois resineux nord-americain etaient parfaitement substituables. L'objectif de cette etude est de desagreger le marche americain du bois de sciage resineux en estimant les elasticites-prix croisees de la demande pour les essences de bois d'oeuvre resineux nord-americain et les groupes d'essences dans trois marches importants de produits finis (charpentes de plancher, de toiture et des murs) a l'aide d'un modele des choix discrets. Specifiquement, cette etude utilise un modele conjoint base sur les choix pour estimer les preferences des essences et des groupes d'essences, les parts de marche et la relation entre le prix et la demande pour le bois d'oeuvre resineux nord-americain. Les resultats de la recherche sont compares a d'autres estimations des elasticites-prix croisees de la demande, telles que celles qui ont [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction The United States represents Canada's largest bilateral trade partner, with one of Canada's most important exports to the United States being softwood lumber. According to the Canadian Department of [...]

A method is developed that combines economic and ecological models in a dynamic and spatial analysis to evaluate land use decisions and find cost-effective alternatives for which it is not possible to do better on one objective without harming another objective. The method is demonstrated using timber production and species conservation on a forested landscape over a 100-year planning horizon.