Culpability and Willingness to Pay to Reduce Negative Externalities: A Contingent Valuation and Experimental Economics Study

Financial Economics,

Consumer Acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods in South Korea: Factor and Cluster Analysis

This study extends biotechnology discourse to cover South Korea in the Asian sub-continent showing a marked difference in perceptions between traditional and GM foods. Factor analysis suggests South Koreans may treat foods that are locally produced and those with no artificial flavors or colorings preferentially to GM foods. Additionally, South Koreans have concerns about perceived risks related to biotechnology, and, given a choice, they may pay more to avoid GM foods. Cluster analysis results yielded four consumer segments: (a) ardent supporters of the attribute of “naturalness†in foods, (b) those apprehensive about biotechnology, (c) the food adventurous, and (d) information seekers about biotechnology.consumer perceptions, factor and cluster analysis, food attributes, genetic modification, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS IN KOREA: FACTOR AND CLUSTER ANALYSIS

The study applies multivariate statistical and econometric tools to estimate the importance of the various factors driving Korean consumer acceptance of GM food products. The evidence thus far on biotechnology is decidedly mixed: public perceptions of food biotechnology are characterized by ongoing tension between opposing forces. The South Korean perceptions about food in general and ranges from excitement about the promise of environmental and economic benefits from GM products to fear and distrust of the technology for unknown risks. This highlights the importance of credibility of private and public institutions responsible for certifying the safety of GM foods and implementing necessary regulatory controls on GM processes and products. In between, many people are undecided, trying to learn more about the issues and reach a definitive position. Encouraging though is that some people are eager to try new foods. Koreans strongly favors food naturalness, familiarity, and access just as the west countries. Results suggest that the South Korean Consumer priorities with respect to various biotechnology and general food issues are related to their socioeconomic and value attributes. This implies that, at least in the near term, there will be considerable divergence within the society in terms of acceptance of food biotechnology. The finding that large segments of the Korean society are either not fully informed or interested in learning more about biotechnology calls for a public education program. A program that may play a constructive role in not only informing consumers but help them in arriving at a socially optimal collective decisions on the wisdom and desirability of food biotechnology.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

PUBLIC APPROVAL OF PLANT AND ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY IN KOREA: AN ORDERED PROBIT ANALYSIS

This study analyzes predictors of Korean public acceptance of the use of biotechnology to create genetically modified food products. Results indicate that the consumers with above average knowledge of specific outcomes of genetic modification were more likely than those with inaccurate or no knowledge to approve use of plant or animal genetic modification for the creation of new food products. Young South Koreans consumers (ages 20 to 29 years old) were more likely than old consumers (ages 50 to 59) to approve use of biotechnology to create both plant and animal based foods. Further, those Koreans in favor of GM labeling were less likely to approve the use of biotechnology for the creation of food products. The results also suggest that public trust and confidence on various institutions associated with biotechnology is critical for the future of the technology. There was some evidence of differential biotechnology approval among consumers of different residential areas, income levels and political affiliation. Thus, those in cities, those with incomes above 40 million Won, and of liberal political affiliation were found to be more approving of animal biotechnology.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Excess mortality impact of two epidemics of pandemic influenza A(H1N1pdm09) virus in Hong Kong

Hong Kong experienced two large epidemics of pandemic influenza A(H1N1pdm09). We used regression methods to estimate the excess mortality associated with each epidemic. The first epidemic of H1N1pdm09 peaked in September 2009 and was associated with 2·13 [95% confidence interval (CI): −8·08, 11·82] excess all-cause deaths per 100 000 population. The second epidemic of H1N1pdm09 in early 2011 was associated with 4·72 [95% CI: −0·70, 10·50] excess deaths per 100 000 population. More than half of the estimated excess all-cause deaths were attributable to respiratory causes in each epidemic. The reasons for substantial impact in the second wave remain to be clarified

Dissecting a hot molecular core: The case of G31.41+0.31

We made a detailed observational analysis of a well known hot molecular core lying in the high-mass star-forming region G31.41+0.31. This core is believed to contain deeply embedded massive stars and presents a velocity gradient that has been interpreted either as rotation or as expansion, depending on the authors. Our aim was to shed light on this question and possibly prepare the ground for higher resolution ALMA observations which could directly detect circumstellar disks around the embedded massive stars. Observations at sub-arcsecond resolution were performed with the Submillimeter Array in methyl cyanide, a typical hot molecular core tracer, and 12CO and 13CO, well known outflow tracers. We also obtained sensitive continuum maps at 1.3 mm. Our findings confirm the existence of a sharp velocity gradient across the core, but cannot confirm the existence of a bipolar outflow perpendicular to it. The improved angular resolution and sampling of the uv plane allow us to attain higher quality channel maps of the CH3CN lines with respect to previous studies and thus significantly improve our knowledge of the structure and kinematics of the hot molecular core. While no conclusive argument can rule out any of the two interpretations (rotation or expansion) proposed to explain the velocity gradient observed in the core, in our opinion the observational evidence collected so far indicates the rotating toroid as the most likely scenario. The outflow hypothesis appears less plausible, because the dynamical time scale is too short compared to that needed to form species such as CH3CN, and the mass loss and momentum rates estimated from our measurements appear too high.Comment: Astronomy and Astrophysics, in pres

Host-linked soil viral ecology along a permafrost thaw gradient

Climate change threatens to release abundant carbon that is sequestered at high latitudes, but the constraints on microbial metabolisms that mediate the release of methane and carbon dioxide are poorly understood1,2,3,4,5,6,7. The role of viruses, which are known to affect microbial dynamics, metabolism and biogeochemistry in the oceans8,9,10, remains largely unexplored in soil. Here, we aimed to investigate how viruses influence microbial ecology and carbon metabolism in peatland soils along a permafrost thaw gradient in Sweden. We recovered 1,907 viral populations (genomes and large genome fragments) from 197 bulk soil and size-fractionated metagenomes, 58% of which were detected in metatranscriptomes and presumed to be active. In silico predictions linked 35% of the viruses to microbial host populations, highlighting likely viral predators of key carbon-cycling microorganisms, including methanogens and methanotrophs. Lineage-specific virus/host ratios varied, suggesting that viral infection dynamics may differentially impact microbial responses to a changing climate. Virus-encoded glycoside hydrolases, including an endomannanase with confirmed functional activity, indicated that viruses influence complex carbon degradation and that viral abundances were significant predictors of methane dynamics. These findings suggest that viruses may impact ecosystem function in climate-critical, terrestrial habitats and identify multiple potential viral contributions to soil carbon cycling