ECONOMIC ANALYSIS of AMAZON RIVER PRAWN FARMING TO THE MARKETS FOR LIVE BAIT and JUVENILES IN PANTANAL, BRAZIL

The implementation of a hypothetical aquaculture facility with hatchery, nursery and grow-out earthen ponds for raising the Amazon River Prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum in the Pantanal was considered. Eight larviculture cycles per year were projected: four to produce post-larvae for stocking in grow-out bait ponds, and four to stock nursery tanks to sell juveniles as seed to grow-out farms, which produce prawns for human consumption. Annual production would be 146,880 dozen bait prawns and 2,938 thousand juveniles. The assumed sale prices were US$ 1.38 per dozen baits and US$ 15.39 per thousand juveniles. The net present value was US$ 555,890.79, internal rate of return was 48% per year, payback period was 2.4 years and benefit-cost ratio was 3.90. The breakeven price to cover total costs per dozen baits was US$ 0.70 and per thousand juveniles was US$ 17.00, indicating that the selling price assumed for juveniles in base scenario is not realistic. Net return was US$ 84,773.80. The results indicate that this activity would be a lucrative and attractive investment in the Pantanal.

Sustainability and CDM projects in the Brazilian sugar cane sector: a discussion on the economic-financial aspects

The study discusses how the revenue from the sale of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) can contribute to the attractiveness of investment in projects of bagasse-based cogeneration. It was observed that revenue from CERs is probably not enough to make these investments acceptable in the economic and financial aspect. However, this study speculates that Clean Development Mechanism projects will be strategic to build a positive image concerning the social responsibility and sustainability of the business in the Brazilian sugar cane sector.

Occurrence of mycobacteria in bovine milk samples from both individual and collective bulk tanks at farms and informal markets in the southeast region of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Background: Mycobacterium spp. is one of the most important species of zoonotic pathogens that can be transmitted from cattle to humans. The presence of these opportunistic, pathogenic bacteria in bovine milk has emerged as a public-health concern, especially among individuals who consume raw milk and related dairy products. To address this concern, the Brazilian control and eradication program focusing on bovine tuberculosis, was established in 2001. However, bovine tuberculosis continues to afflict approximately 1,3 percent of the cattle in Brazil. In the present study, 300 samples of milk from bovine herds, obtained from both individual and collective bulk tanks and informal points of sale, were cultured on Löwenstein-Jensen and Stonebrink media. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests and restriction-enzyme pattern analysis were then performed on the colonies exhibiting phenotypes suggestive of Mycobacterium spp., which were characterized as acid-fast bacilli.Results: Of the 300 bovine milk samples that were processed, 24 were positively identified as Mycobacterium spp.Molecular identification detected 15 unique mycobacterial species: Mycobacterium bovis, M. gordonae, M. fortuitum, M. intracellulare, M. flavescens, M. duvalii, M. haemophilum, M. immunogenum, M. lentiflavum, M. mucogenicum, M. novocastrense, M. parafortuitum, M. smegmatis, M. terrae and M. vaccae. The isolation of bacteria from the various locations occurred in the following proportions: 9 percent of the individual bulk-tank samples, 7 percent of the collective bulk-tank samples and 8 percent of the informal-trade samples. No statistically significant difference was observed between the presence of Mycobacterium spp. in the three types of samples collected, the milk production profiles, the presence of veterinary assistance and the reported concerns about bovine tuberculosis prevention in the herds.Conclusion: The microbiological cultures associated with PCR-based identification tests are possible tools for the investigation of the presence of Mycobacterium spp. in milk samples. Using these methods, we found that the Brazilian population may be regularly exposed to mycobacteria by consuming raw bovine milk and related dairy products. These evidences reinforces the need to optimize quality programs of dairy products, to intensify the sanitary inspection of these products and the necessity of further studies on the presence of Mycobacterium spp. in milk and milk-based products. © 2013 Franco et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Development of a thermoeconomic methodology for optimizing biodiesel production. Part II: Manufacture exergetic cost and biodiesel production cost incorporating carbon credits, a Brazilian case study

The purpose of this study is to carry on a thermoeconomic analysis at a biodiesel production plant considering the irreversibilities in each step (part I: biodiesel plant under study and functional thermoeconomic diagram [1]), making it possible to calculate the thermoeconomic cost in US$/kWh and US$/l of the biodiesel production, and the main byproduct generated, glycerin, incorporating the credits for the CO2 that is not emitted into the atmosphere (carbon credits). Assuming a sale price for both the biodiesel and the byproduct (glycerin), the annual revenue of the total investment in a plant with a capacity of 8000 t/year of biodiesel operating at 8000 h/year was calculated. The variables that directly or indirectly influence the final thermoeconomic cost include total annual biodiesel production, hours of operation, manufacturing exergy cost, molar ratio in the transesterification reaction, reaction temperature and pressure in the process. Depending on the increase or decrease in sale prices for both biodiesel and glycerin, the payback is going to significantly increase or decrease. It is evident that, in exergy terms, the sale of glycerin is of vital importance in order to reduce the biodiesel price, getting a shorter payback period for the plant under study. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Business Models And Editorial Exemption: A Study On Service Journalism Based On Ecommerce Operations

The paper presents and discusses business strategies based on the association from journalistic content to new commercial practices in digital media. We describe selected examples from Folha de S. Paulo and El País involving service guides, links and ecommerce advertisements. The employed method provides content analysis to illustrate how the search for new business models in journalism may conduct its commercial activities beyond the conventional sale of advertising and subscriptions, including a discussion on the challenges and implications of this practice. The hypothesis is demonstrated by describing operations for the sale of tickets, books, music, and films related to news features and service journalism contents. The text finally wonders and discusses how such commercial actions may affect editorial autonomy and publishing exemption.

Estimating the number of whales entering trade using DNA profiling and capture-recapture analysis of market products

Surveys of commercial markets combined with molecular taxonomy (i.e. molecular monitoring) provide a means to detect products from illegal, unregulated and/or unreported (IUU) exploitation, including the sale of fisheries bycatch and wild meat (bushmeat). Capture-recapture analyses of market products using DNA profiling have the potential to estimate the total number of individuals entering the market. However, these analyses are not directly analogous to those of living individuals because a ‘market individual’ does not die suddenly but, instead, remains available for a time in decreasing quantities, rather like the exponential decay of a radioactive isotope. Here we use mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences and microsatellite genotypes to individually identify products from North Pacific minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata ssp.) purchased in 12 surveys of markets in the Republic of (South) Korea from 1999 to 2003. By applying a novel capture-recapture model with a decay rate parameter to the 205 unique DNA profiles found among 289 products, we estimated that the total number of whales entering trade across the five-year survey period was 827 (SE, 164; CV, 0.20) and that the average ‘half-life’ of products from an individual whale on the market was 1.82 months (SE, 0.24; CV, 0.13). Our estimate of whales in trade (reflecting the true numbers killed) was significantly greater than the officially reported bycatch of 458 whales for this period. This unregulated exploitation has serious implications for the survival of this genetically distinct coastal population. Although our capture-recapture model was developed for specific application to the Korean whale-meat markets, the exponential decay function could be modified to improve the estimates of trade in other wildmeat or fisheries markets or abundance of living populations by noninvasive genotyping.

VVV DR1: The first data release of the Milky Way bulge and southern plane from the near-infrared ESO public survey VISTA variables in the Via Lactea

Context. The ESO public survey VISTA variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) started in 2010. VVV targets 562 sq. deg in the Galactic bulge and an adjacent plane region and is expected to run for about five years. Aims. We describe the progress of the survey observations in the first observing season, the observing strategy, and quality of the data obtained. Methods. The observations are carried out on the 4-m VISTA telescope in the ZYJHK(s) filters. In addition to the multi-band imaging the variability monitoring campaign in the K-s filter has started. Data reduction is carried out using the pipeline at the Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit. The photometric and astrometric calibration is performed via the numerous 2MASS sources observed in each pointing. Results. The first data release contains the aperture photometry and astrometric catalogues for 348 individual pointings in the ZYJHK(s) filters taken in the 2010 observing season. The typical image quality is similar to 0 ''.9-1 ''.0. The stringent photometric and image quality requirements of the survey are satisfied in 100% of the JHK(s) images in the disk area and 90% of the JHK(s) images in the bulge area. The completeness in the Z and Y images is 84% in the disk, and 40% in the bulge. The first season catalogues contain 1.28 x 10(8) stellar sources in the bulge and 1.68 x 10(8) in the disk area detected in at least one of the photometric bands. The combined, multi-band catalogues contain more than 1.63 x 10(8) stellar sources. About 10% of these are double detections because of overlapping adjacent pointings. These overlapping multiple detections are used to characterise the quality of the data. The images in the JHK(s) bands extend typically similar to 4 mag deeper than 2MASS. The magnitude limit and photometric quality depend strongly on crowding in the inner Galactic regions. The astrometry for K-s = 15-18 mag has rms similar to 35-175 mas. Conclusions. The VVV Survey data products offer a unique dataset to map the stellar populations in the Galactic bulge and the adjacent plane and provide an exciting new tool for the study of the structure, content, and star-formation history of our Galaxy, as well as for investigations of the newly discovered star clusters, star-forming regions in the disk, high proper motion stars, asteroids, planetary nebulae, and other interesting objects.

Insulin and TOR pathways regulate cellular and organismal growth through the myc oncogene in Drosophila

A large body of literature documents in both mice and Drosophila the involvement of Insulin pathway in growth regulation, probably due to its role in glucose and lipid import, nutrient storage, and translation of RNAs implicated in ribosome biogenesis (Vanhaesebroeck et al. 2001). Moreover several lines of evidence implicate this pathway as a causal factor in cancer (Sale, 2008; Zeng and Yee 2007; Hursting et al., 2007; Chan et al., 2008). With regards to Myc, studies in cell culture have implied this family of transcription factors as regulators of the cell cycle that are rapidly induced in response to growth factors. Myc is a potent oncogene, rearranged and overexpressed in a wide range of human tumors and necessary during development. Its conditional knock-out in mice results in reduction of body weight due to defect in cell proliferation (Trumpp et al. 2001). Evidence from in vivo studies in Drosophila and mammals suggests a critical function for myc in cell growth regulation (Iritani and Eisenman 1999; Johnston et al. 1999; Kim et al. 2000; de Alboran et al. 2001; Douglas et al. 2001). This role is supported by our analysis of Myc target genes in Drosophila, which include genes involved in RNA binding, processing, ribosome biogenesis and nucleolar function (Orain et al 2003, Bellosta et al., 2005, Hulf et al, 2005). The fact that Insulin signaling and Myc have both been associated with growth control suggests that they may interact with each other. However, genetic evidence suggesting that Insulin signaling regulates Myc in vivo is lacking. In this work we were able to show, for the first time, a direct modulation of dMyc in response to Insulin stimulation/silencing both in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that dMyc up-regulation in response to DILPs signaling occurs both at the mRNA and potein level. We believe dMyc protein accumulation after Insulin signaling activation is conditioned to AKT-dependent GSK3β/sgg inactivation. In fact, we were able to demonstate that dMyc protein stabilization through phosphorylation is a conserved feature between Drosophila and vertebrates and requires multiple events. The final phosphorylation step, that results in a non-stable form of dMyc protein, ready to be degraded by the proteasome, is performed by GSK3β/sgg kinase (Sears, 2004). At the same time we demonstrated that CKI family of protein kinase are required to prime dMyc phosphorylation. DILPs and TOR/Nutrient signalings are known to communicate at several levels (Neufeld, 2003). For this reason we further investigated TOR contribution to dMyc-dependent growth regulation. dMyc protein accumulates in S2 cells after aminoacid stimulation, while its mRNA does not seem to be affected upon TORC1 inhibition, suggesting that the Nutrient pathway regulates dMyc mostly post-transcriptionally. In support to this hypothesis, we observed a TORC1-dependent GSK3β/sgg inactivation, further confirming a synergic effect of DILPs and Nutrients on dMyc protein stability. On the other hand, our data show that Rheb but not S6K, both downstream of the TOR kinase, contributes to the dMyc-induced growth of the eye tissue, suggesting that Rheb controls growth independently of S6K.. Moreover, Rheb seems to be able to regulate organ size during development inducing cell death, a mechanism no longer occurring in absence of dmyc. These observations suggest that Rheb might control growth through a new pathway independent of TOR/S6K but still dependent on dMyc. In order to dissect the mechanism of dMyc regulation in response to these events, we analyzed the relative contribution of Rheb, TOR and S6K to dMyc expression, biochemically in S2 cells and in vivo in morphogenetic clones and we further confirmed an interplay between Rheb and Myc that seems to be indipendent from TOR. In this work we clarified the mechanisms that stabilize dMyc protein in vitro and in vivo and we observed for the first time dMyc responsiveness to DILPs and TOR. At the same time, we discovered a new branch of the Nutrient pathway that appears to drive growth through dMyc but indipendently from TOR. We believe our work shed light on the mechanisms cells use to grow or restrain growth in presence/absence of growth promoting cues and for this reason it contributes to understand the physiology of growth control.

Design and acoustic characterization of a new listening room

Il presente lavoro tratta la progettazione e caratterizzazione di una nuova "listening room" ad acustica controllata partendo dai requisiti dettati dalle norme tecniche ITU-R BS 1116-1 e EBU/UER Tech. doc. 3276. Ad oggi è presente un'ampia letteratura, che tratta approcci per valutazione acustica delle sale di ascolto. Essa inizialmente era volta a trovare proporzioni ideali tra le dimensioni della camera, poi la ricerca si è spostata sull'elaborazione di modelli previsionali. Purtroppo tali metodi spesso non riescono a garantire le prestazioni desiderate, mentre le prove sperimentali dettate dalle norme risultano essere di comprovata validità. L'ambiente oggetto di studio è stato progettato all'interno dello spazio dei laboratori CIRI. La tecnologia costruttiva è frutto di uno studio approfondito, in particolare la scelta di fibre di poliestere termolegate, per il rivestimento delle pareti interne, è stata valutata attraverso misure in camera riverberante secondo UNI-EN-ISO 354. Si è poi seguita una metodologia iterativa che coinvolgesse messa in opera, misurazioni in situ e valutazione tramite confronto con i parametri consigliati dalle normative tecniche sopra citate. In quest'ottica sono state effettuate acquisizioni di risposte all'impulso monoaurali e dei livelli di pressione sonora per verificare la qualità di isolamento e il comportamento alle basse frequenze. La validazione restituisce indicazioni positive per gli utilizzi dell'ambiente ipotizzati e risulta compatibile con le stringenti richieste delle norme tecniche.

Management, feeding, production, reproduction and udder health on organic and conventional Swiss dairy farms

Organic dairy farms (OP; n=60) and conventional dairy farms (integrated production, IP; n=60), matched in size, location, and agricultural zone (altitude), were studied for possible differences in management, feeding, production, reproduction and udder health. OP and IP farms were similar in size (17.7 and 16.9 ha), milk quota (65900 and 70,000 kg/year), cow number (14 and 15), cow age (5.3 and 5.2 years), housing of cows of the Simmental x Red Holstein or Holstein breeds (87 and 75%; 45 and 60%), but differed significantly with respect to loose housing systems (18 and 7%), outside paddocks (98 and 75%), energy-corrected 305-d milk yield (5,695 and 6,059 kg), milk protein content (31.8 and 32.7 g/kg), use of bucket milking systems (73 and 33%), observance of regular (12-h) milking intervals (47 and 68%), routine application of the California-Mastitis-Test (10 and 28%), teat dipping after milking (25 and 43%) and blanket dry cow treatments (0 and 45%). Milk somatic cell counts on OP and IP farms (119 000 and 117,000/mL) and reproduction data were similar and there were no significant differences between OP and IP farms as concerns available feeds, planning and management of feeding. Alternative veterinary treatments were used more often on OP than IP farms (55 and 17%). Main causes for cow replacements on OP and IP farms were fertility disorders (both 45%), age (40 and 42%), sale (30 and 37%) and udder health (35 and 13%).Between OP and IP Swiss dairy farms thus relatively few larger differences were found.

Performance and emissions testing of a small two stroke engine using mid-level ethanol blends

With the introduction of the mid-level ethanol blend gasoline fuel for commercial sale, the compatibility of different off-road engines is needed. This report details the test study of using one mid-level ethanol fuel in a two stroke hand held gasoline engine used to power line trimmers. The study sponsored by E3 is to test the effectiveness of an aftermarket spark plug from E3 Spark Plug when using a mid-level ethanol blend gasoline. A 15% ethanol by volume (E15) is the test mid-level ethanol used and the 10% ethanol by volume (E10) was used as the baseline fuel. The testing comprises running the engine at different load points and throttle positions to evaluate the cylinder head temperature, exhaust temperature and engine speed. Raw gas emissions were also measured to determine the impact of the performance spark plug. The low calorific value of the E15 fuel decreased the speed of the engine along with reduction in the fuel consumption and exhaust gas temperature. The HC emissions for E15 fuel and E3 spark plug increased when compared to the base line in most of the cases and NO formation was dependent on the cylinder head temperature. The E3 spark plug had a tendency to increase the temperature of the cylinder head irrespective of fuel type while reducing engine speed.

Federal and state policy influence on woody biomass utilization

A considerable portion of public lands in the United States is at risk of uncharacteristically severe wildfires due to a history of fire suppression. Wildfires already have detrimental impacts on the landscape and on communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) due to unnatural and overstocked forests. Strategies to mitigate wildfire risk include mechanical thinning and prescribed burning in areas with high wildfire risk. The material removed is often of little or no economic value. Woody biomass utilization (WBU) could offset the costs of hazardous fuel treatments if removed material could be used for wood products, heat, or electricity production. However, barriers due to transportation costs, removal costs, and physical constraints (such as steep slopes) hinder woody biomass utilization. Various federal and state policies attempt to overcome these barriers. WBU has the potential to aid in wildfire mitigation and meet growing state mandates for renewable energy. This research utilizes interview data from individuals involved with on-the-ground woody biomass removal and utilization to determine how federal and state policies influence woody biomass utilization. Results suggest that there is not one over-arching policy that hinders or promotes woody biomass utilization, but rather woody biomass utilization is hindered by organizational constraints related to time, cost, and quality of land management agencies’ actions. However, the use of stewardship contracting (a hybrid timber sale and service contract) shows promise for increased WBU, especially in states with favorable tax policies and renewable energy mandates. Policy recommendations to promote WBU include renewal of stewardship contracting legislations and a re-evaluation of land cover types suited for WBU. Potential future policies to consider include the indirect role of carbon dioxide emission reduction activities to promote wood energy and future impacts of air quality regulations.

Federal Authority and the Development of Corporate Mining, 1807-1847

While the 1913-1914 copper country miners’ strike undoubtedly plays an important role in the identity of the Keweenaw Peninsula, it is worth noting that the model of mining corporations employing large numbers of laborers was not a foregone conclusion in the history of American mining. Between 1807 and 1847, public mineral lands in Missouri, in the Upper Mississippi Valley, and along the southern shore of Lake Superior were reserved from sale and subject to administration by the nation’s executive branch. By decree of the federal government, miners in these regions were lessees, not landowners. Yet, in the Wisconsin lead region especially, federal authorities reserved for independent “diggers” the right to prospect virtually unencumbered. In doing so, they preserved a comparatively egalitarian system in which the ability to operate was determined as much by luck as by financial resources. A series of revolts against federal authority in the early nineteenth century gradually encouraged officers in Washington to build a system in the copper country in which only wealthy investors could marshal the resources to both obtain permits and actually commence mining operations. This paper will therefore explore the role of the federal government in establishing a leasing system for public mineral lands in the years previous to the California Gold Rush, highlighting the development of corporate mining which ultimately set a stage for the wave of miners’ strikes in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Copyright Exhaustion Rationales and Used Software: A Law and Economics Approach to Oracle v. UsedSoft

This article aims to provide courts and policymakers with an analytical framework that, building upon the traditional rationales of IP exhaustion doctrine, identifies factors which advocate for a modulation or flexibilization of the role of exhaustion in copyright law. Factors include (i) the personal features of acquirers of copies of copyrighted works, distinguishing between consumers and commercial users; (ii) whether post-sale restrictions have been adequately communicated to acquirers and have been agreed in the contract or license; (iii) the degree of complexity of the acquired goods and their prospects of productive uses and interoperability; (iv) the role of other exclusive rights in providing rightholders with indirect control over uses of the copies in the aftermarket; (v) the impact of post-sale restraints in preventing opportunism in long-term contracts and in reducing deadweight losses created by IP pricing; and (vi) the temporal scope of post-sale restraints. After setting out this analytical framework, the ECJ Judgement in Oracle v. UsedSoft is discussed.