Agricultural situation report of Cyprus and the market and trade policies for fruit/vegetable and olive oil

During the last decade the Cypriot agricultural sector has been declining in terms of most indices in the economy, mainly due to the spiraling growth of tourism, as crucial investment outlays were diverted from agriculture to tourism; the most important factors of production being land and labor due to substantially higher yields accruing to both. The Domestic Resource Cost (DRC) revealed that the three products studied for the period 1997 to 2000, i.e. tomatoes, oranges and olive oil had a comparative advantage. However, the opening of the European market with EU accession led to the substantive undermining of competitiveness of agricultural products and to the reduction of the value of exports. It is believed that DRC ratios would be higher today that the ones reported, due to unchanged /decreased border prices and increased costs of tradable inputs. It is suggested that the tomato, orange and olive oil sectors will become more competitive in the European market if factors that are affecting their marketing, like differentiation of production and quality, are improved. New concepts like organic farming and products of origin are very important and may provide profitable outlets in the new globalized economy. Additionally, favorable climatic conditions are vastly for and conducive to the production of early season Mediterranean products with obvious premium attached in the market place.Domestic Resource Cost, Competitiveness, Tomatoes, Oranges, Olive Oil, International Relations/Trade,

Effects of tomato inoculation with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum on spider mite resistance and the rhizosphere microbial community

Entomopathogenic fungi have been well exploited as biocontrol agents that can kill insects through direct contact. However, recent research has shown that they can also play an important role as plant endophytes, stimulating plant growth, and indirectly suppressing pest populations. In this study, we examined the indirect, plant-mediated, effects of a strain of entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium brunneum on plant growth and population growth of two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) in tomato, using different inoculation methods (seed treatment, soil drenching and a combination of both). Furthermore, we investigated changes in tomato leaf metabolites (sugars and phenolics), and rhizosphere microbial communities in response to M. brunneum inoculation and spider mite feeding. A significant reduction in spider mite population growth was observed in response to M. brunneum inoculation. The reduction was strongest when the inoculum was supplied both as seed treatment and soil drench. This combination treatment also yielded the highest shoot and root biomass in both spider mite-infested and non-infested plants, while spider mite infestation increased shoot but reduced root biomass. Fungal treatments did not consistently affect leaf chlorogenic acid and rutin concentrations, but M. brunneum inoculation via a combination of seed treatment and soil drenching reinforced chlorogenic acid (CGA) induction in response to spider mites and under these conditions the strongest spider mite resistance was observed. However, it is unclear whether the M. brunneum-induced increase in CGA contributed to the observed spider mite resistance, as no general association between CGA levels and spider mite resistance was observed. Spider mite infestation resulted in up to two-fold increase in leaf sucrose concentrations and a three to five-fold increase in glucose and fructose concentrations, but these concentrations were not affected by fungal inoculation. Metarhizium, especially when applied as soil drench, impacted the fungal community composition but not the bacterial community composition which was only affected by the presence of spider mites. Our results suggest that in addition to directly killing spider mites, M. brunneum can indirectly suppress spider mite populations on tomato, although the underlying mechanism has not yet been resolved, and can also affect the composition of the soil microbial community

Search for supersymmetry with a dominant R-parity violating LQDbar couplings in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130GeV to 172 GeV

A search for pair-production of supersymmetric particles under the assumption that R-parity is violated via a dominant LQDbar coupling has been performed using the data collected by ALEPH at centre-of-mass energies of 130-172 GeV. The observed candidate events in the data are in agreement with the Standard Model expectation. This result is translated into lower limits on the masses of charginos, neutralinos, sleptons, sneutrinos and squarks. For instance, for m_0=500 GeV/c^2 and tan(beta)=sqrt(2) charginos with masses smaller than 81 GeV/c^2 and neutralinos with masses smaller than 29 GeV/c^2 are excluded at the 95% confidence level for any generation structure of the LQDbar coupling.Comment: 32 pages, 30 figure

Search for supersymmetry in events with b-quark jets and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for physics beyond the standard model based on events with large missing transverse energy, at least three jets, and at least one, two, or three b-quark jets. The study is performed using a sample of proton-proton collision data collected at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2011. The integrated luminosity of the sample is 4.98 inverse femtobarns. The observed number of events is found to be consistent with the standard model expectation, which is evaluated using control samples in the data. The results are used to constrain cross sections for the production of supersymmetric particles decaying to b-quark-enriched final states in the context of simplified model spectra.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review

Programa intensivo ERASMUS: TOPCART. Documentación Geométrica del Patrimonio (memoria de actividades 2010-2011)

[EN] Data contained in this record come from the following accademic activity (from which it is possible to locate additional records related with the Monastery):● LDGP_inv_002: "Intensive Program ERASMUS: TOPCART. Geometric Documentation of the Heritage (administrative and academic documentation)", http://hdl.handle.net/10810/9906[ES] Los datos de este registro provienen de la una actividad académica que también aparece descrita en el repositorio y desde donde se puede acceder a otros trabajos relacionados con el Monasterio:● LDGP_inv_002: "Programa intensivo ERASMUS: TOPCART. Documentación Geométrica del Patrimonio (documentación administrativa y académica)", http://hdl.handle.net/10810/9906[EN] The main objective this project is looking for is the exchange of practical methodologies, in topics related with the measure and representation of heritage, between teachers and specially students from different countries. For the achievement of this aim we expect the participation of a group of about 30 students and 8 lecturers from Germany, Italy, Greece, Lithuania and Spain.Activities will be focused on the development of concrete projects in documentation of heritage, specifically in the San Prudencio Monastery (La Rioja, Spain). In this site, digital techniques for the acquisition of geometric information from GPS equipment, surveying total stations, laser scanner and photogrammetry systems, will be put into practice.Obtained data will be processed as follows: first of all, they will be documented by adding necessary metadata in order to ensure their use in the future, then, they will be treated to obtain cartographic representations and virtual models which can be distributed on the Internet.As results we expect: metric data of the monument, graphic models for difussion and collaboration partnertships.[ES] El objetivo principal que se persigue en este proyecto es el intercambio de metodológico práctico, en materias afines a la medida y la representación del patrimonio, entre profesores y fundamentalmente alumnos, de diferentes países. Para la consecución de este fin se espera la participación de un grupo de aproximadamente 25 alumnos y 8 profesores de (Alemania, Italia, Grecia, Lituania y España).Las actividades se centrarán en el desarrollo de proyectos concretos de documentación de elementos patrimoniales, en concreto el apartado práctico se desarrollará en el Monasterio de San Prudencio (La Rioja, España). En el se aplicarán técnicas digitales de registro de información geométrica, constituidas por receptores GPS, estaciones totales topográficas, escáneres láser y sistemas fotogramétricos.Los datos obtenidos serán tratados de la siguiente manera: en primer lugar serán documentados, mediante la adición de la metainformación necesaria para garantizar su utilidad a lo largo del tiempo, seguidamente serán procesados con el fin de obtener las representaciones cartográficas y modelos virtuales de representación que puedan ser difundidas por medio de Internet.Como resultados se pretenden: un conjunto de registros métricos del momento de la intervención, modelos gráficos de difusión y finalmente relaciones de colaboración interpersonal e interinstitucional.European Commission, DG Education and Culture (Erasmus 2009-1-ES1-ERAIP-0013, 2010-1-ES1-ERA10-0024); Organismo Autónomo Programas Educativos Europeos (OAPEE); Gobierno de La Rioja (Spain); Universidad de La Rioja; Clavijo City Council; Logroño City Council; Ilustre Colegio de Ingenieros Técnicos en Topografía (Delegación de La Rioja)[ES] Memoria de proyecto (PDF) [es el último fichero de la lista, el enlace directo es https://addi.ehu.es/bitstream/10810/7053/1053/ldgp_mem011-1_Clavijo_SanPrudencio.pdf] + 11 imágenes de la visita preliminar en abril de 2009, en formato JPEG + 19 nubes de puntos en formato txt (comprimido en ZIP junto a un fichero de metadatos y una imagen que sirve de croquis y que también se presenta suelta) + 27 fotografías tomadas desde un helicóptero radicontrolado en 2011 por el grupo H (JPEG) + 18 fotografías métricas del edificio en forma de -L- tomadas desde el Sur + 13 fotografías métricas del edificio en forma de -L- tomadas desde el Este + 95 fotografías métricas del interior del edificio en forma de -L- (JPEG) + 35 fotografías métricas tomadas desde el cerro que se encuentra al sur (JPEG) + 8 fotografías métricas que forman 4 pares estereoscópicos (2 del grupo B y 2 del grupo D) (JPEG) + 183 fotografías métricas que forman 91 tripletas (grupos B, C y D) (JPEG). [NOTA: este registro no está cerrado, se irán incorporando nuevos materiales de forma progresiva][EN] General report (PDF) [it is the last file of the list, the direct link is https://addi.ehu.es/bitstream/10810/7053/1053/ldgp_mem011-1_Clavijo_SanPrudencio.pdf] + 11 pictures taken during the preliminary visit in April 2009 (JPEG format) + 19 point clouds in plain text (compressed in a ZIP file together with a file with metadata and an image PNG as sketch, these image are also presented on their own) + 27 photographs taken from a remote-controlled helicopter for the group H in 2011(JPEG) + 18 metric pictures of the L-shaped building taken from the South (JPEG) + 13 metric pictures of the L-shaped building taken from the East (JPEG) + 95 metric pictures of the inside part of the L-shaped building (JPEG) + 35 metric photographs taken from the hill opposite in the Southern + 8 metric photographs in four stereopairs (2 from group B and 2 from group D) (JPEG) + 183 metric photographs arranged in 91 triplets from groups B, C and D (JPEG). [NOTE: this record is not closed, more data will be uploaded progressively

Search for Bs0B^{0}_{s} oscillations using inclusive lepton events

A search for Bs oscillations is performed using a sample of semileptonic b-hadron decays collected by the ALEPH experiment during 1991-1995. Compared to previous inclusive lepton analyses, the prop er time resolution and b-flavour mistag rate are significantly improved. Additional sensitivity to Bs mixing is obtained by identifying subsamples of events having a Bs purity which is higher than the average for the whole data sample. Unbinned maximum likelihood amplitude fits are performed to derive a lower limit of Dms>9.5 ps-1 at 95% CL. Combining with the ALEPH Ds based analyses yields Dms>9.6 ps-1 at 95% CL.A search for B0s oscillations is performed using a sample of semileptonic b-hadron decays collected by the ALEPH experiment during 1991-1995. Compared to previous inclusive lepton analyses, the proper time resolution and b-flavour mistag rate are significantly improved. Additional sensitivity to B0s mixing is obtained by identifying subsamples of events having a B0s purity which is higher than the average for the whole data sample. Unbinned maximum likelihood amplitude fits are performed to derive a lower limit of Deltam_s>9.5ps^-1 at 95% CL. Combining with the ALEPH D-s based analyses yields Deltam_s>9.6ps^-1 at 95% CL

Impacts of the Tropical Pacific/Indian Oceans on the Seasonal Cycle of the West African Monsoon

The current consensus is that drought has developed in the Sahel during the second half of the twentieth century as a result of remote effects of oceanic anomalies amplified by local land–atmosphere interactions. This paper focuses on the impacts of oceanic anomalies upon West African climate and specifically aims to identify those from SST anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Oceans during spring and summer seasons, when they were significant. Idealized sensitivity experiments are performed with four atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs). The prescribed SST patterns used in the AGCMs are based on the leading mode of covariability between SST anomalies over the Pacific/Indian Oceans and summer rainfall over West Africa. The results show that such oceanic anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Ocean lead to a northward shift of an anomalous dry belt from the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahel as the season advances. In the Sahel, the magnitude of rainfall anomalies is comparable to that obtained by other authors using SST anomalies confined to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The mechanism connecting the Pacific/Indian SST anomalies with West African rainfall has a strong seasonal cycle. In spring (May and June), anomalous subsidence develops over both the Maritime Continent and the equatorial Atlantic in response to the enhanced equatorial heating. Precipitation increases over continental West Africa in association with stronger zonal convergence of moisture. In addition, precipitation decreases over the Gulf of Guinea. During the monsoon peak (July and August), the SST anomalies move westward over the equatorial Pacific and the two regions where subsidence occurred earlier in the seasons merge over West Africa. The monsoon weakens and rainfall decreases over the Sahel, especially in August.Peer reviewe

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good