Competitive location and pricing on networks

In this paper we consider a location and pricing model for a retail firm that wants to enter a spatial market where a competitor firm is already operating as a monopoly with several outlets. The entering firms seeks to determine the optimal uniform mill price and its servers' locations that maximizes profits given the reaction in price of the competitor firm to its entrance. A tabu search procedure is presentedto solve the model together with computational experience.

Apoplastic diffusion barriers in Arabidopsis.

During the development of Arabidopsis and other land plants, diffusion barriers are formed in the apoplast of specialized tissues within a variety of plant organs. While the cuticle of the epidermis is the primary diffusion barrier in the shoot, the Casparian strips and suberin lamellae of the endodermis and the periderm represent the diffusion barriers in the root. Different classes of molecules contribute to the formation of extracellular diffusion barriers in an organ- and tissue-specific manner. Cutin and wax are the major components of the cuticle, lignin forms the early Casparian strip, and suberin is deposited in the stage II endodermis and the periderm. The current status of our understanding of the relationships between the chemical structure, ultrastructure and physiological functions of plant diffusion barriers is discussed. Specific aspects of the synthesis of diffusion barrier components and protocols that can be used for the assessment of barrier function and important barrier properties are also presented.

Evaluation of Remediation Recommendations: Stakeholder Workshop 3 Ribeira Seca - Cape Verde

In Cape Verde, the low soil cover and inadequate practices on rain fed agricultural lands constitute major problems related to desertification. To the fragility of the land associates severe water erosion, causing tons of land to be washed away from the fields every year during the rainy season. Therefore, the aim in the scope of combating desertification is to provide a certain degree of permanent soil cover to serve as shield for the impact of rain. During the selection workshop several technologies, all related to vegetative cover either as strips or surface cover were discussed. Only two technologies were selected: vegetation strip with pigeon pea and afforestation with fruit trees.  Technology 1: Pigeon pea (cajanus cajan) barriers/strips. It consists in planting seeds of pigeon pea, a leguminous perennial shrub that has dual purpose of protecting the soil and feed people. It is planted in association with maize crop. After the maize is harvested, the soil remains with some degree of cover. Though the objective was to plant as strip barriers, six meters apart, most farmers planted it as surface cover.  Technology 2: Afforestation with fruit trees. It consists in the plantation of different fruit tree species in humid areas to provide both soil cover and feed for farmers. Since fruit trees require several years to provide effective cover, and though it was implemented in some areas, it was not evaluated during the project’s period.

Evaluation of Remediation Recommendations: Stakeholder Workshop 3 Ribeira Seca - Cape Verde

In Cape Verde, the low soil cover and inadequate practices on rain fed agricultural lands constitute major problems related to desertification. To the fragility of the land associates severe water erosion, causing tons of land to be washed away from the fields every year during the rainy season. Therefore, the aim in the scope of combating desertification is to provide a certain degree of permanent soil cover to serve as shield for the impact of rain. During the selection workshop several technologies, all related to vegetative cover either as strips or surface cover were discussed. Only two technologies were selected: vegetation strip with pigeon pea and afforestation with fruit trees.  Technology 1: Pigeon pea (cajanus cajan) barriers/strips. It consists in planting seeds of pigeon pea, a leguminous perennial shrub that has dual purpose of protecting the soil and feed people. It is planted in association with maize crop. After the maize is harvested, the soil remains with some degree of cover. Though the objective was to plant as strip barriers, six meters apart, most farmers planted it as surface cover.  Technology 2: Afforestation with fruit trees. It consists in the plantation of different fruit tree species in humid areas to provide both soil cover and feed for farmers. Since fruit trees require several years to provide effective cover, and though it was implemented in some areas, it was not evaluated during the project’s period.

2007 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Selected Iowa Source Categories

The Department’s 2007 Greenhouse Gas Inventory is a refinement of previous statewide inventories. It is a bottom-up inventory of two sectors – fossil fuel combustion at federally-recognized major sources of air pollution and fossil fuel combustion and ethanol fermentation at dry mill ethanol plants. This is the first bottomup greenhouse gas inventory conducted for Iowa and the first bottom-up greenhouse gas inventory of ethanol plants in the nation that the Department is aware of. In a bottom-up inventory, facility-specific activity data is used to calculate emissions. In a top-down inventory, aggregate activity data is used to calculate emissions. For example, this bottom-up inventory calculates greenhouse gas emissions from the fossil fuel combustion at each individual facility instead of using the total amount of fossil fuel combusted state-wide, which would be a top-down inventory method. The advantage to a bottom-up inventory is that the calculations are more accurate than a top-down inventory. However, because the two methods differ, the results from a bottom-up inventory are not directly comparable to a top-down inventory.

Resultados de la pesca exploratoria de 1979/80 y desembarque de cefalópodos pelagicos en el litoral peruano

El trabajo comprende un análisis de los desembarques de "ca amar" y "pota" desde 1964 a 1981 así como de los resultados de la pesca exploratoria de setiembre 1979 a abril 1 980. las principales especies de cafalópados que se comercializan en Perú bajo la nominación de calamares ( y calamaretes) pertenecen a la familia Loliginidae y de potas o jibias a la familia Ommastrephidae. El promedi o anual de desembarque de 1964 a 1971 de calamarés y potas fue de 243 y 313 toneladas respectivamente, de 1972 a 1981 continúa el desembarque regular de calamares pero no el de potas . Las mejores capturas de calamares y potas se producen en otoño durante los meses de mayo y junio y también en el verano durante los meses de enero y febrero . Casi la totalidad de desembarques de calamares se efectúan en el Callao, Huacho, Chimbote, Paita y el 78% de potas se desembarcan en el Callao y caletas aledañas. La pesca exploratoria de cefalópodos pelágicos efectuada principalmente a bordo del B/P japonés Rhyusho Maru Nº 25, de diciembre a abril 1980, cubrió todo el litoral peruano hasta las 500 mill as afuera. Se efectuaron 128 estaciones de pesca con el sistema y equipos especificas para la captura de calamares; se obtuvo una extracción de 18 toneladas de potas que correspondió a la especie oceánica Dosidicus gigas, con un promedi o de 140 kg por noche y amplitud entre 4 y 830 kg por noche de operación. Los niveles de la población de D. gigas durante la exploración estuvieron bajos, sin embargo las mejores concentraciones de esta especie se ubicaron en la zona norte a partir de las 30 millas hacia afuera en los meses de febrero y marzo( 246 y 224 kg/noche), observándose regu­lares focos a 350 millas afuera de Atico (16°10'8) en marzo (202 kg/noche) .

Caracterización de la Zona de Mínimo de Oxígeno (ZMO) frente a la costa peruana entre 3°N y 14°S, 1999 - 2009

Se analizaron datos de oxígeno disuelto, frente a las costas del Perú, para comprender las variaciones de la ZMO, caracterizadas por: a) el espesor de esa zona, limitada por las isolíneas de oxígeno de 0,5 mL.L-1; y b) la profundidad de su límite superior en la franja marino costera. Se muestran los resultados de las evaluaciones en la columna de agua, en la bahía de Callao en el periodo 1999 – 2009, y además en enero - febrero 2009 en un estudio de la ZMO, durante el Crucero Meteor 77-4 0901-02: Interacción en el Océano Tropical, Biogeoquímica y Clima. En la zona costera del Callao (12°S) se acentúa la hipoxia; la ZMO se ve restringida por la plataforma y su límite superior más superficial se ubicó a los 2,5 m de profundidad. A partir de la información obtenida en enero–febrero 2009 (Crucero 0901-02) se analizó la variabilidad espacial de la ZMO, en donde se halló un espesor de ~637,8 m, en la sección Punta Falsa (6°S). Se analizó la dinámica de la ZMO y su límite superior, debido al gran interés que ha tomado, por el posible incremento de su espesor, en el contexto de cambio climático, con grandes repercusiones sobre los recursos pesqueros.

Fitoplancton frente a la costa peruana durante en la primavera 2003

Entre octubre y diciembre 2003 se evaluó el fitoplancton de Puerto Pizarro a Ilo. Se colectó 102 muestras de red y 51 muestras de agua. En el fitoplancton de red se diferenció dos grupos de diatomeas: 1) al norte de Chancay donde especies de afloramiento y neríticas dominaron y se distribuyeron desde la costa hasta 45 mn; 2) al sur de Huacho donde predominaron diatomeas oceánicas. Las mayores concentraciones celulares se localizaron dentro de la franja costera en Paita y Chimbote con valores >3 x106 cel/L destacando Skeletonema costatum. Protoperidinium obtusum, indicador de Aguas Costeras Frías (ACF) se halló de Paita a Ilo. Ceratium breve, indicador de Aguas Ecuatoriales Superficiales (AES) se presentó frente a Puerto Pizarro por fuera de las 60 mn junto con C. praelongum indicador de Aguas Subtropicales Superficiales (ASS), lo que indicaría mezcla de estas aguas.

Influência de diferentes manejos agrícolas na distribuição de metais pesados no solo e em plantas de tomate

Paty do Alferes (RJ) é um município com tradição agrícola, sendo a olericultura a sua principal atividade econômica. A região apresenta uma topografia e regime de chuvas que favorecem a erosão. A falta de um manejo adequado do solo e o uso excessivo de agroquímicos favorecem os processos de degradação física e química do solo, acarretando sérios impactos ao ambiente. Com o objetivo de avaliar o acúmulo de metais pesados no solo e em plantas de tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), cultivadas sob diferentes sistemas de preparo do solo, foi realizado um trabalho no município de Paty do Alferes (RJ), entre os meses de agosto e dezembro de 1999. Foram instaladas parcelas do tipo Wischmeier (com coletores de enxurrada e sedimentos), com dimensões de 22,0 x 4,0 m, em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo com 30 % de declividade. Cada tratamento consistiu de um tipo de sistema de preparo do solo: (a) preparo convencional: aração no sentido morro abaixo e queima dos restos vegetais (PC); (b) preparo em curvas de nível: aração com tração animal em nível com faixas de capim-colonião a cada 7,0 m (PN); (c) cultivo mínimo: apenas abertura de covas para plantio e conservação dos restos vegetais (CM). Foram coletadas amostras de solo e plantas de tomate, sendo analisados os teores de metais pesados nas amostras coletadas, a produtividade das plantas e a fertilidade do solo. A produtividade no cultivo mínimo foi significativamente inferior à de outros manejos, apesar de tal sistema favorecer a maior fertilidade do solo. Esse manejo também proporcionou maior acúmulo de metais pesados no solo, principalmente quando comparado ao plantio convencional. Com relação às plantas, a aplicação foliar de defensivos agrícolas favoreceu o maior acúmulo de metais pesados na parte aérea das plantas, e os teores de Cu e Zn estiveram acima dos limites permitidos para metais pesados em plantas. Os frutos produzidos nos três sistemas de preparo do solo apresentaram concentrações de Pb próximas ao limites permitidos para alimentos frescos.

A receptor-like kinase mutant with absent endodermal diffusion barrier displays selective nutrient homeostasis defects.

The endodermis represents the main barrier to extracellular diffusion in plant roots, and it is central to current models of plant nutrient uptake. Despite this, little is known about the genes setting up this endodermal barrier. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of a strong barrier mutant, schengen3 (sgn3). We observe a surprising ability of the mutant to maintain nutrient homeostasis, but demonstrate a major defect in maintaining sufficient levels of the macronutrient potassium. We show that SGN3/GASSHO1 is a receptor-like kinase that is necessary for localizing CASPARIAN STRIP DOMAIN PROTEINS (CASPs)--major players of endodermal differentiation--into an uninterrupted, ring-like domain. SGN3 appears to localize into a broader band, embedding growing CASP microdomains. The discovery of SGN3 strongly advances our ability to interrogate mechanisms of plant nutrient homeostasis and provides a novel actor for localized microdomain formation at the endodermal plasma membrane.

Respiratory effects of an exposure to grain dust among grain workers in the Vaud region (Switzerland)

Introduction: Bioaerosols such as grain dust, via biologically active agents, elicit local inflammation and direct immunological reactions within the human respiratory system. Workplace-dependent exposure to grain dust (GD) may thus induce asthma, chronic bronchitis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The aim of this study is to assess the clinical impact of occupational exposure to GD and to determine quantitative biological markers of bioaerosol exposure in grain workers. Methods: This longitudinal study has been conducted from summer 2012, to summer 2013, comprising 6 groups of 30 active workers with different GD exposure patterns (4 groups of grain workers, 2 control groups). After obtaining informed consent, two evaluations at high- and low-exposing seasons take place, during which an occupational history and a detailed medical history are questionnaire-assessed, lung function is evaluated by spirometry, airway inflammation is measured by exhaled nitric oxide (eNO), and specific blood IgG and IgE are titrated. The preliminary results presented hereafter are those of two of the four exposed groups, namely harvesters and mill workers, compared to the control groups, at first assessment (n=100). Results: Mean age is 38.4 [years]; 98% are male. Exposed groups differ from controls (p<0.05) in daily contact with animals (57% vs. 40%) and active smoking (39% vs. 11%). Grain workers have more respiratory (50%), nasal (57%), ocular (45%), dermatologic (36%) and systemic (20%) occupational symptoms than controls (6.4%, 19%, 16%, 6.4%, 1.6% respectively, p<0.05). Lower mean peak-expiratory-flow (PEF) values (96.1 ± 18.9 vs. 108.2 ± 17.4 [% of predicted], p<0.05) and eNO values (13.9 ± 9.6 vs. 20.5 ± 14.7 [ppm], p<0.05) are observed in the exposed groups. Conclusion: Preliminary results show a higher prevalence of clinical symptoms and a lower mean PEF value in the exposed groups. Detailed supplementary analyses are pending.

The sampling of ignitable liquids on suspects' hands

In arson cases, the collection and detection of traces of ignitable liquids on a suspect's hands can provide information to a forensic investigation. Police forces currently lack a simple, robust, efficient and reliable solution to perform this type of swabbing. In this article, we describe a study undertaken to develop a procedure for the collection of ignitable liquid residues on the hands of arson suspects. Sixteen different collection supports were considered and their applicability for the collection of gasoline traces present on hands and their subsequent analysis in a laboratory was evaluated. Background contamination, consisting of volatiles emanating from the collection supports, and collection efficiencies of the different sampling materials were assessed by passive headspace extraction with an activated charcoal strip (DFLEX device) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. After statistical treatment of the results, non-powdered latex gloves were retained as the most suitable method of sampling. On the basis of the obtained results, a prototype sampling kit was designed and tested. This kit is made of a three compartment multilayer bag enclosed in a sealed metal can and containing three pairs of non-powdered latex gloves: one to be worn by the sampler, one consisting of a blank sample and the last one to be worn by the person suspected to have been in contact with ignitable liquids. The design of the kit was developed to be efficient in preventing external and cross-contaminations.

Dinâmica do potássio nos resíduos vegetais de plantas de cobertura no Cerrado

A produção de biomassa, a manutenção dos resíduos vegetais sobre o solo e sua posterior decomposição são fatores de grande importância no estudo da ciclagem de nutrientes. Este estudo foi desenvolvido na área experimental do CEFET-Uberaba-MG, onde foram avaliados oito tipos de coberturas vegetais: milheto (Pennisetum americanum sin. tiphoydes), braquiária (Brachiaria brizantha), sorgo-forrageiro (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), guandu (Cajanus cajan (L.) Mill sp.), crotalária (Crotalarea juncea), aveia-preta (Avena strigosa Schreb), pousio e área em preparo convencional de solo (testemunha) em área de Cerrado, na região do Triângulo Mineiro. Avaliaram-se a fitomassa seca (FS), a decomposição dos resíduos em bolsas de decomposição, e a liberação de K. Utilizou-se um modelo matemático para descrever a decomposição dos resíduos e a liberação de K, e calcularam-se a constante de decomposição (k) e o tempo de meia-vida (T½). O milheto, o sorgo e a crotalária foram as coberturas que apresentaram maiores produções de matéria seca. O maior acúmulo de K ocorreu em gramíneas e a maior liberação de K ocorreu no milheto, aveia, braquiária e crotalária nos primeiros 42 dias após manejo, nos dois períodos avaliados. A braquiária apresentou o menor T½ vida e a maior taxa de liberação de K.

Crop sequences in no-tillage system: effects on soil fertility and soybean, maize and rice yield

Decomposing crop residues in no-tillage system can alter soil chemical properties, which may consequently influence the productivity of succession crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil chemical properties and soybean, maize and rice yield, grown in the summer, after winter crops in a no-tillage system. The experiment was carried out in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil (21 ° 15 ' 22 '' S; 48 ° 18 ' 58 '' W) on a Red Latosol (Oxisol), in a completely randomized block design, in strip plots with three replications. The treatments consisted of four summer crop sequences (maize monocrop, soybean monocrop, soybean/maize rotation and rice/bean/cotton rotation) combined with seven winter crops (maize, sunflower, oilseed radish, pearl millet, pigeon pea, grain sorghum and sunn hemp). The experiment began in September 2002. After the winter crops in the 2005/2006 growing season and before the sowing of summer crops in the 2006/2007 season, soil samples were collected in the layers 0-2.5; 2.5-5.0; 5-10; 10-20; and 20-30 cm. Organic matter, pH, P, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and H + Al were determined in each soil sample. In the summer soybean/maize rotation and in maize the organic matter contents and P levels were lower, in the layers 0-10 cm and 0-20 cm, respectively. Summer rice/bean/cotton rotation increased soil K levels at 0-10 cm depth when sunn hemp and oilseed radish had previously been grown in the winter, and in the 0-2.5 cm layer for millet. Sunn hemp, millet, oilseed radish and sorghum grown in the winter increased organic matter contents in the soil down to 30 cm. Higher P levels were found at the depths 0-2.5 cm and 0-5 cm, respectively, when sunn hemp and oilseed radish were grown in the winter. Highest grain yields for soybean in monoculture were obtained in succession to winter oilseed radish and sunn hemp and in rotation with maize, after oilseed radish, sunn hemp and millet. Maize yields were highest in succession to winter oilseed radish, millet and pigeon pea. Rice yields were lowest when grown after sorghum.

A physical frequency-dependent compact model for RF integrated inductors

A frequency-dependent compact model for inductors in high ohmic substrates, which is based on an energy point-of-view, is developed. This approach enables the description of the most important coupling phenomena that take place inside the device. Magnetically induced losses are quite accurately calculated and coupling between electric and magnetic fields is given by means of a delay constant. The later coupling phenomenon provides a modified procedure for the computation of the fringing capacitance value, when the self-resonance frequency of the inductor is used as a fitting parameter. The model takes into account the width of every metal strip and the pitch between strips. This enables the description of optimized layout inductors. Data from experiments and electromagnetic simulators are presented to test the accuracy of the model.