A One-Week Laboratory Practice: Introducing the Students to the Study of Plant Biochemistry and Signal Transduction

This report describes a one-week laboratory practice for students. An approach to study a Calcium dependent protein kinase (CDPK) involved in signal transduction processes in potato plants, is undertaken. A number of basic biochemical techniques including the partial purification of a protein kinase, protein kinase activity assays, protein determination, SDS-PAGE analysis of phosphorylated proteins and Western blot assays are described.Fil: Ulloa, Rita Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Raices, Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Tellez, Maria Teresa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentin

Parsimony and omitted factors: the airline model and the Census X-11 assumptions

El tipo de modelo Arima para el que el metodo de ajuste estacional X-11 es adecuado se ha identificado como (1-L)(1-L12)Xt=G(L)at, (CX), en donde G(L) es de orden 26. En este documento se aproxima el modelo CX mediante un modelo Arima (1,1,2)(0,1,1), con raices complejas en el factor MA regular y se demuestra que tal modelo tiene un factor de estabilidad -mayor potencia espectral en frecuencias bajas- que no esta presente en el "modelo de lineas aereas" propuesto por Box y Jenkins

Social Enterprise: A Portrait of the Field

The Social Enterprise Alliance recently partnered with Community Wealth Ventures and Duke University's Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship to assess the state of social enterprise in the nonprofit sector in the United States and Canada. The survey effort, which was funded by REDF, was designed to advance the field by identifying trends and best practices among nonprofit organizations engaged in social enterprise activities.For the purposes of the survey, "social enterprise" was defined according to the definition developed by the Social Enterprise Alliance: "An organization or venture (within an organization) that advances a social mission through market-based strategies. These strategies include receiving earned income in direct exchange for a product, service or privilege." Survey respondents were identified from multiple sources, including the partners' databases, and represented a broad range of organization types, sizes and geographic locations. In all, 740 organizations completed the survey. These included organizations that operate a social enterprise, are considering doing so, or are unfamiliar with social enterprise. In this report, we take a deeper look at the survey results, which were originally released in 2009. We also present in-depth profiles of some of the responding organizations.The survey found that the number of social enterprises launched each year has grown steadily since the 1970s, with the most rapid growth occurring during the 1990s and early 2000s. The findings provide empirical data to affirm a trend noted by several researchers and nonprofit leaders in recent years: the blurring of lines between nonprofit and for-profit entities. Nonprofits are becoming more "business-like" in their strategies and incomegenerating activities, while for-profits show an increasing tendency to embrace and advance important social and environmental causes.1Of course, the impact of the 2008-09 recession on social enterprise is yet to be seen and could not be reflected in the survey. The fiscal challenges brought on by the recession might prompt more organizations to consider additional routes for generating added revenues, or it could cause them to delay taking the plunge because of financial uncertainty. Only time, and further research, will tell.Regardless of what happens in the near term, however, the survey results indicate that the trend in recent years has been toward increasing consideration of social enterprise as a route to organizational sustainability and growth

Manejo del material de siembra de yuca (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

Several cassava trials were planted at CIAT to study the effect of the maturity of stem cuttings, depth of planting, cutting length, planting position and the angle of the cut on root yield. Cuttings from the top and middle part of vigorous 1-yr-old plants produced greater than root yields than those proceeding from the lower part of the plant or from older stem parts. Cuttings planted vertically 10, 20 and 30 cm deep do not affect the yield but do affect root distribution, the no. of roots/plant and the difficulty of harvesting; planting at 10 cm in depth was the most adequate. Twenty-cm long, selected and treated cuttings gave slightly higher yields than 40 or 60 cm ones. Cuttings placed vertically assure more rapid emergence, greater than percentage of germination, greater than yields and prevent lodging in comparison to those planted in a horizontal or inclined position. When the stems were cut rectangularly or bevel-edged, different rooting systems were produced; the former produced roots with a more uniform distribution; nevertheless, yield was not affected. Vertical planting, either with a straight or bevel-edged cut, gave greater than yields than horizontal planting. To obtain max yields, planting material should be selected from the middle part of mature, vigorous plants, cut at right angles 20 cm long and planted vertically 10 cm deep. (AS-CIAT)Se sembraron varios ensayos de yuca en el CIAT para estudiar el efecto de la madurez de las estacas, profundidad de siembra, longitud de la estaca, posicion de siembra y angulo de corte de la misma, en el rendimiento de las raices. Las estacas de la parte media y superior de plantas vigorosas de un ano de edad produjeron mayores rendimientos de raices que aquellas provenientes de la parte baja de la planta o de estacas viejas. Las estacas sembradas verticalmente a 10, 20 y 30 cm de profundidad no influyen en el rendimiento, pero afectan la distribucion de raices, el numero de raices/planta y la facilidad de cosecha; la siembra a 10 cm de profundidad fue la mas adecuada. Las mayores estacas de 20 cm de largo seleccionadas y tratadas dieron rendimientos ligeramente mayores que las de 40 o 60 cm. La siembra vertical de las estacas aseguro una emergencia mas rapida, un mayor porcentaje de germinacion, mayores rendimientos y previno el volcamiento de las plantas, en comparacion con la posicion horizontal o inclinada. El corte de la estaca en forma rectangular o en bisel produjo diferentes sistemas de enraizamiento; el primero produce raices mas uniformemente distribuidas; sin embargo, no afecta el rendimiento. La siembra vertical, ya sea con angulo de corte recto o en bisel, da mayores rendimientos que la siembra horizontal. Para obtener los rendimientos maximos, el material de siembra se debe seleccionar de la parte media de plantas vigorosas maduras, cortado en un angulo recto, en trozos de 20 cm de largo y sembrado verticalmente a 10 cm de profundidad. (RA-CIAT

Evaluacion de dos cosechadoras de yuca

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of a commercial cassava harvester (A) and a harvesting implement (B): (1) the var. Chiroza (difficult, to harvest) was planted using 3 systems (beds, ridges and on the flat) at different densities and (2) three cassava var. (M Col 22, CMC 84 and M Mex 11) were planted on the flat. Harvester A left the roots totally exposed on the surface and partially removed the soil on them, while harvester B did not expose the roots totally. Root losses were greater than with manual harvesting and less than with harvester B; harvester A caused more root breakage. When comparing planting systems and densities, the proportion of roots left in the ground tended to be greater than in ridge planting at low densities and less than in cassava planted on the flat at a high density. The net working efficiency of harvester A was calculated at approx 0.2 ha/h, while that of harvester B was estimated at 0.5 ha/h. The overall damage for root breakage and bruising with harvester B was low, comparable to that of manual harvesting; that of harvester A being greater than. Harvester B was recommended for small farms while harvester A has potential for large-scale production. (CIAT)Con el fin de evaluar la eficiencia de una cosechadora comercial de yuca (A) y un implemento (B), se establecieron 2 ensayos: 1) se sembro la var. Chiroza (dificil de cosechar) en 3 sistemas de siembra (camas, camellones y en plano) con diferentes densidades. 2) Se sembraron 3 var. de yuca (M Col 22, CMC 84 y M Mex 11) en plano. La cosechadora A dejo las raices totalmente expuestas sobre la superficie y solto parcialmente el suelo que estaba adherido a ellas, mientras que la cosechadora B no expuso totalmente las raices. Las perdidas de raices fueron mayores con cosecha manual y menores con la cosechadora B; la cosechadora A ocasiono mas rompimiento de las raices. Al comparar los sistemas de siembra y las densidades, la proporcion de raices que quedo en el suelo tendio a ser mayor en la siembra en camellones a baja densidad y menor en la yuca que se sembro en plano y a alta densidad. La eficiencia neta de trabajo de la cosechadora A se calculo en aprox. 0,2 ha/h, en tanto que para la B se estimo en 0,5 ha/h. El dano global por rompimiento y pelado con la cosechadora B fue bajo y comparable con el de la cosecha manual; el de la cosechadora A fue mayor. Se recomienda la cosechadora B para pequenas fincas, mientras que la cosechadora A es un sistema potencial para produccion a gran escala. (CIAT

Raices y tuberculos para el siglo 21: tendencias, projecciones y opciones de politica

La gran importancia de las raices y tuberculos como fuente de ingresos para los agricultores pobres y como fuente de alimento para la poblacion de escasos recursos, tanto rural como urbana, es muchas veces ignorada en el debate sobre el mejoramiento de la seguridad alimentaria y la erradicacion de la pobreza en los paises en desarrollo. Es de esperarse que los analisis del presente informe, preparados en forma conjunta por el Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) y el Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones sobre Politicas Alimentarias (IFPRI), ayudaran a que estos cultivos sean considerados apropiadamente en las deliberaciones futuras sobre el sistema global de alimentos a nivel nacional e internacional, locual aumentaria los esfuerzos para asegurar la seguridad alimentaria e ingresos para todos los habitantes del mundo... Gregory J.Scott, Mark W.Rosegrant, y Claudia Ringler han sintetizado una cantidad significativa de datos sobre raices y tuberculos, en un esfuerzo para brindar una vision mas clara de su pasado, su presente y su papel futuro en los sistemas de alimentos de los paises en desarrollo. Resulta de vital importancia comprender como han cambiado y como cambiaran en el futuro la produccion y el uso de estos productos primarios a lo largo del tiempo, debido justamente a su contribucion en las dietas y en las actividades generadoras de ingresos de la poblacion pobre, rural y urbana en Asia, Africa y America Latina.Tubers Economic aspects Developing countries., Root-crops Economic aspects Developing countries., Food supply Developing countries., tuberculo, plantas de raices comestibles, economia agricola,

Social funds as an instrument of social protection : an analysis of lending trends - FY2000-2007

The review's objective is to assess the evolution of the social funds portfolio, with a specific focus on the fiscal years 2000 to 2007, and the portfolio's role in the implementation of the Social Protection Sector Strategy (SPSS). Lending trends, the evolution of the social funds model, and future implications of the review's major findings are also discussed. During the FY2000-07 period, there was a diversification of social fund goals. The most common trend has been to increase the role of social funds in governments'decentralization processes, by shifting more responsibility for managing local level investments and providing more direct training and capacity building for overseeing these investments to local governments. In some instances, the community management of resources deepened, with community contracting leading to grassroots-level participatory planning and a search for social capital outcomes (e.g. Romania, Senegal and Argentina). In some cases, divergent and even conflicting goals developed.Safety Nets and Transfers,,Emerging Markets,Access to Finance,Banks&Banking Reform

Collective Action Frames and Policy Windows: The Case of the Project to Export Liquefied Natural Gas from Bolivia to California

How and why can a political mobilisation prevent what appears to be an economically rational and beneficial government investment? The present paper explores the ways in which both public policy and contentious politics theories can be potentially bridged to answer this question. It suggests ways in which concepts used by public policy theorists such as 'policy windows' (Kingdon, 1984) or 'advocacy coalitions' (Sabatier, 1999) may be useful to understand the emergence of political opportunities or the construction of collective action frames. The case study to be used is the project to export liquefied gas from Bolivia to California, which was promoted by the administration of Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada in 2002 and was cancelled after civil society groups not only mobilise to resist it, but to demand the resignation of the president.