Regional dairy production: short-term projections and expected demand for inputs

Over the period 1991-2003, New Zealand’s milk production more than doubled. At the same time, dairy farming expanded its boundaries into non-traditional dairy production regions. The distribution of regional production is of particular interest because of effects on supply and demand balances for key inputs and outputs. Changes in the geographical distribution of dairy production alter local economic output and, consequently, income distribution and community viability. The aim of this paper is to present regional short-term estimates of demand for selected key production inputs and milk output. Short-term estimates for milk production and land use were derived based on past growth rates in stocking rate, cow numbers and productivity per cow for each region. Input demand forecasts were, in turn, derived using regional milk production and land use forecasts and baseline estimates of input and energy use reported in Wells (2001). Results indicate that by season 2006/07, the effective area devoted to dairy production will be at 1.56 million hectares, a 7% increase with respect to the 2003 baseline. However, contrary to what happened prior to 2003, almost all the gain in dairy area is explained by increases in the South Island. Over the same period, national milk production is expected to increase by 20% to 1,431 million kgs. MS. Similarly, the South Island accounted for much of the gain, increasing its share in total milk production to 34% up from 28% in 2003. It is expected that the use of inputs such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous and sulphur per unit of area will intensify for all dairy regions. However, the increase in the use of inputs per unit of area relative to the baseline is lower in long-established dairy regions, Northland, South Auckland and Taranaki, than in non-traditional dairy regions like, North and South Canterbury, Otago and Southland.Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Land Economics/Use, Livestock Production/Industries,

Time-dependent Robin boundary conditions in the dynamical Casimir effect

Motivated by experiments in which moving boundaries are simulated by time-dependent properties of static systems, we discuss the model of a massless scalar field submitted to a time-dependent Robin boundary condition (BC) at a static mirror in 1+1 dimensions. Using a perturbative approach, we compute the spectral distribution of the created particles and the total particle creation rate, considering a thermal state as the initial field state.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures. To appear in proceedings of Conference on Quantum Field Theory under the Influence of External Condition

A Comparison of the Television Viewing Habits of Religiously Oriented and Non-Religiously Oriented Children

Problem Television plays an important role in the lives of children. The objective of this study was to compare religiously oriented and non- religiously oriented children and the patterns of television viewing habits between these two groups. Method The analysis of variance was used to measure the hypotheses. A questionnaire completed by 378 subjects in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 in private and public schools was used to gather the data for this study. Results Significant differences were found between religiously oriented and non-religiously oriented children in the average number of hours of television viewing, and in preference for crime-action and educational- altruistic programs by grade levels. No significant differences were found between grade level and the number of hours of television viewing and preference towards crime-action and educational-altruistic programs between the two groups. Conclusions This study has provided some information about trends in television habits between religiously oriented and non-religiously oriented children

Slowly Rotating Anisotropic Neutron Stars in General Relativity and Scalar-Tensor Theory

Some models (such as the Skyrme model, a low-energy effective field theory for QCD) suggest that the high-density matter prevailing in neutron star interiors may be significantly anisotropic. Anisotropy is known to affect the bulk properties of nonrotating neutron stars in General Relativity. In this paper we study the effects of anisotropy on slowly rotating stars in General Relativity. We also consider one of the most popular extensions of Einstein's theory, namely scalar-tensor theories allowing for spontaneous scalarization (a phase transition similar to spontaneous magnetization in ferromagnetic materials). Anisotropy affects the moment of inertia of neutron stars (a quantity that could potentially be measured in binary pulsar systems) in both theories. We find that the effects of scalarization increase (decrease) when the tangential pressure is bigger (smaller) than the radial pressure, and we present a simple criterion to determine the onset of scalarization by linearizing the scalar-field equation. Our calculations suggest that binary pulsar observations may constrain the degree of anisotropy or even, more optimistically, provide evidence for anisotropy in neutron star cores.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, 1 table. Matches version in press in CQG. Fixed small typo

Neuroendocrine Regulation of Metabolism

Given the current environment in most developed countries, it is a challenge to maintain a good balance between calories consumed and calories burned, although maintenance of metabolic balance is key to good health. Therefore, understanding how metabolic regulation is achieved and how the dysregulation of metabolism affects health is an area of intense research. Most studies focus on the hypothalamus, which is a brain area that acts as a key regulator of metabolism. Among the nuclei that comprise the hypothalamus, the arcuate nucleus is one of the major mediators in the regulation of food intake. The regulation of energy balance is also a key factor ensuring the maintenance of any species as a result of the dependence of reproduction on energy stores. Adequate levels of energy reserves are necessary for the proper functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This review discusses valuable data presented in the 2015 edition of the International Workshop of Neuroendocrinology concerning the fundamental nature of the hormonal regulation of the hypothalamus and the impact on energy balance and reproduction.Fil: Cornejo, María Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular; ArgentinaFil: Hentges, S.T.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados UnidosFil: Maliqueo, M.. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Coirini, Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Becu Villalobos, D.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Elias, C. F.. University of Michigan; Estados Unido