Using Best-Worst Scaling to Determine Market Channel Choice by Small Farmers in Indonesia

A household survey and a novel Best-Worst scaling method are used to examine the relative importance of various buyer characteristics to small potato farmers in Indonesia. A Latent Class Cluster Analysis is used explore whether producers’ utilities for marketing channels are heterogeneous. For the aggregate sample, the attributes related to the buyer providing immediate cash payment, a price premium and always following through on their commitment to buy their potatoes were the three most important attributes. The results of the Latent Class Cluster Analysis found four unique classes or segments of producers, each with distinct utilities for buyer characteristics and interesting differences socio-demographic characteristics. The largest segment (44%) was relatively similar to the aggregate, placing a high importance on cash payment, price and willingness to negotiate. Two segments, 24% and 16% of producers placed a relatively high importance on the buyer providing access to certified potato seed or finance for purchasing inputs, and another segment placed the highest importance on having a long-term relationship with their buyer. This has interesting implications for traders, particularly traders who are interested in securing a long-term relationship with potato producers – simply being able to provide cash at the time potatoes are delivered and/or a small premium may immediately increase the strength of the relationship.Best-Worst Scaling, Latent Class Cluster Analysis, marketing channel choice, Indonesia, potato farmers, small farmers, Marketing,

Patient-centered Primary Care of Adults with Severe or Profound Developmental Disabilities: The Patient–Physician Relationship

Adults with developmental disabilities receive most of their health care from family physicians, yet little is known of the development of the patient-physician relationship in this population. This qualitative study used a grounded theory approach to describe the development of this relationship between adult patients with severe or profound developmental disabilities and their family physicians. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 caregivers and 15 family physicians of these patients. The recognition of the patient’s vulnerabilities was a common starting point. Caregivers and patients approached the patient-physician relationship as one unit with the person they cared for as part of the process of protecting them, before allowing the relationship to develop along different trajectories. Family physicians described a mutual process of acceptance—of the patient as a human being, and of the physician by the patient. Greater awareness of these processes of relationship development may improve health care delivery for patients with developmental disabilities

Pork carcass quality : a research review

"Sponsored by National Pork Producers Council, University of Illinois College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, and Federal Extension Service and Agricultural Research Service of U.S. Department of Agriculture.""1/70/2M""Per capita consumption of pork has not kept pace with the increase in total meat consumption in recent years. Many factors are credited with influencing this decline but one dominates: In spite of the fact that the industry has made great strides in changing the ratio of lean to fat in hogs produced today, the image of pork being "fat" food lingers in the minds of calorie conscious consumers. The change to production of a more muscular pig with less fat has caused changes in pork quality. This coupled with the industry's efforts to increase pork consumption are bringing demand for more information on factors that affect pork quality. As a result of a poll conducted by the National Pork Producers it was decided that this bulletin should be written covering the following areas of carcass studies: (l) Relationship of quality to consumer acceptance; (2) muscle quality as related to breed differences, genetic influences, nutrition, and environment; (3) relationship of size of cut to consumer acceptance; and (4) relationship of quantity to quality. The research has not been extensive on these subjects. This review is an attempt to assemble what has been pub I ished and to suggest areas for further research. It should be pointed out that the word quality as used in this report refers to characteristics that affect consumer acceptability and processing losses. No effort has been made to include research on acceptability as affected by fat: lean ratios."--Preface.William C. StringerIncludes bibliographical reference

Study of the treatment of tuberculosis cutis with calciferol

1. Calciferol treatment produced clinical and histological healing in fifteen out of forty cases of tuberculosis cutis (lupus vulgaris). 2. Effective therapeutic action was found on the tubercle systems of Lupus Vulgaris. 3. The findings tend to indicate that this action is nonspecific. 4. Histopathological assay of the disease at intervals during treatment revealed the structural changes involved in the chemotherapeutic effect of the drug. 5. Histologically the action of calciferol on tuberculosis cutis is found to be resolution of the tubercle systems, starting with the epithelioid cells and followed by the lymphocytic and mononuclear cell exudates, leaving a variable residuum of fibrous connective tissue. 6. The findings support the view that the mode of action of calciferol is by promoting the cellular metabolic disposal of irritant substances arising from tubercle bacilli; that it occurs in the cytoplasm of the phagocytic cells; and that this is adequate only in dealing with small quantities of such substances. 7. No special or characteristic type of fibrosis follows calciferol therapy but there is no apparent resolution of fibrous or scar tissue already created by the disease process. 8. The disease is capable of reactivation from persistent microscopic foci remaining after apparent clinical healing if treatment is insufficiently prolonged. It is necessary to continue treatment or to give a repeat course of the drug to ensure against such relapses. 9. Doses of 150,000 i.u. daily of calciferol are well tolerated by the average case and can be safely com- bined with ultraviolet light irradiation without causing toxic effects. 10. Local application of calciferol to the diseased area in a concentration of 5000 i.u. per gm. of cold cream base is found to accelerate clinical healing in lupus vulgaris. 11. In Lupus Vulgaris the period of administration is primarily governed by the clinical state of the patient. In the absence of any toxic manifestations the average case may continue treatment for 6 -12 months by which time any significant benefit should have resulted. 12. Confirmation of healing is made by histopathological examination of biopsy material from the lesions. 13. All treated cases should be reviewed at intervals of three to six months for at least several years, if not for life

When did modern humans leave Africa?

Published by AAAS © belongs to the authors with AAAS licensed to publish. The attached document is the authors’ submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it

Adaptation and development pathways for different types of farmers

One of the greatest challenges humanity faces is feeding the world's human population in a sustainable, nutritious, equitable and ethical way under a changing climate. Urgent transformations are needed that allow farmers to adapt and develop while also being climate resilient and contributing minimal emissions. This paper identifies several illustrative adaptation and development pathways, recognising the variety of starting points of different types of farmers and the ways their activities intersect with global trends, such as population growth, climate change, rapid urbanisation dietary changes, competing land uses and the emergence of new technologies. The feasibility of some pathways depends on factors such as farm size and land consolidation. For other pathways, particular infrastructure, technology, access to credit and market access or collective action are required. The most viable pathway for some farmers may be to exit agriculture altogether, which itself requires careful management and planning. While technology offers hope and opportunity, as a disruptor, it also risks maladaptations and can create tradeoffs and exacerbate inequalities, especially in the context of an uncertain future. For both the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2015 Paris Agreement to be achieved, a mix of levers that combine policy, technology, education and awareness-raising, dietary shifts and financial/economic mechanisms is required, attending to multiple time dimensions, to assist farmers along different pathways. Vulnerable groups such as women and the youth must not be left behind. Overall, strong good governance is needed at multiple levels, combining top-down and bottom-up processes

Country curing hams

M.A. Alexanderm (Department of Animal Husbandry), William C. Stringer (Department of Food Science and Nutrition College of Agriculture)Revised 12/7