Urban Deforestation and Urban Development

This paper has developed a model of a single forest owner operating with perfect foresight in a dynamic open-city environment that allows for switching between alternative competing land uses (forest and urban use) at some point in the future. The model also incorporates external values of an even-aged standing forest in addition to the value of timber when it is harvested. Timber is exploited based on a multiple rotation model a la Faustmann with clear-cut harvesting. In contrast to previous models, our alternative land use to forest land is endogenous. Within this framework, we study the problem of the private owner as well as that of the social planner, when choosing the time to harvest, the time to convert land and the intensity of development. We also examine the extent to which the two-way linkage between urban development and forest management practices (timber production and provision of forest amenities) contributes to economic efficiency and improvements in non-market forest benefits. Finally, we consider policy options available to a regulator seeking to achieve improvements in efficiency including anti-sprawl policies (impact fees and density controls) and forest policies such a yield tax. Numerical simulations illustrate our analytical results. JEL codes:Deforestation, Urban Development, Forest Management Practices, Anti-Sprawl Policies, Yield Taxes

Forest management in an urbanizing landscape

This paper aims at building a theoretical framework to examine the impact of development pressure on private owner’s forest management practices, namely, on regeneration and conversion cut dates. As the rent for developed land is rising over time, our model creates the possibility of switching from forestry to residential use at some point in the future, thus departing from the Faustmann’s traditional setup. Comparative statics results with respect to stumpage prices, regeneration costs and urban growth parameters are provided. The results obtained depend on the impact on the opportunity cost of holding the stand and the impact on the opportunity cost of holding the land, generalizing Faustmann’s unambiguous results.UECE (Research Unit on Complexity and Economics) is financially supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia), Portugal. This paper is part of the Strategic Project PEst-OE/EGE/UI0436/2011 and also benefited from financial support under the project PTDC/EGE-ECO/113403/2009. University of California MRPI Project: Virtual Co-laboratory for Policy Analysis in Greater L.A

The effects of land-use development policies on forest management

This paper develops a model of a forest owner operating in an open-city environment, where the rent for developed land is increasing concave in nearby preserved open space and is rising over time reflecting an upward trend in households’ income. Thus, our model creates the possibility of switching from forestry to residential use at some point in the future. In addition it allows the optimal harvest length to vary over time even if stumpage prices and regeneration costs remain constant. Within this framework we examine how adjacent preserved open space and alternative development constraints affect the private landowner´s decisions. We find that in the presence of rising income, preserved open space hastens regeneration and conversion cuts but leads to lower density development of nearby unzoned parcels due to indirect dynamic effects. We also find that both a binding development moratorium and a binding minimum-lot-size policy can postpone regeneration and conversion cut dates and thus help to protect open space even if only temporarily. However, the policies do not have the same effects on development density of converted forestland. While the former leads to high-density development, the latter encourages low-density development.FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Urban containment: An effective tool for environmental protection?

This paper examines the effectiveness of urban containment policies to protect forestland from residential conversion and to increase the provision of forest public goods in the presence of irreversible investments and policy uncertainty. We develop a model of a single landowner that allows for switching between competing land uses (forestry and residential use) at some point in the future. Our results show that urban containment policies can protect (even if temporarily) forestland from being developed but must be supplemented with policies that influence the length and number of harvesting cycles if the goal is to increase nontimber benefits. The threat of a development prohibition creates incentives for preemptive timber harvesting and land conversion. In particular, threatened regulation creates an incentive to shorten rotation cycles to avoid costly land-use restrictions. However, it has an ambiguous effect on forestland conversion as the number of rotation cycles can also be adjusted to maximize the expected returns to land. Finally, in the presence of irreversibility, forestland conversion decisions should be done using real option theory rather than net present value analysi

Detecting mode entanglement: The role of coherent states, superselection rules and particle statistics

We discuss the possibility of observing quantum nonlocality using the so-called mode entanglement, analyzing the differences between different types of particles in this context. We first discuss the role of coherent states in such experiments, and we comment on the existence of coherent states in nature. The discussion of coherent states naturally raises questions about the role of particle statistics in this problem. Although the Pauli exclusion principle precludes coherent states with a large number of fermionic particles, we find that a large number of fermionic coherent states, each containing at most one particle, can be used to achieve the same effect as a bosonic coherent state for the purposes of this problem. The discussion of superselection rules arises naturally in this context, because their applicability to a given situation prohibits the use of coherent states. This limitation particularly affects the scenario that we propose for detecting the mode entanglement of fermionic particles.Comment: 7 pages (two-column

Expression and cellular trafficking of GP82 and GP90 glycoproteins during Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis

Background: the transformation of noninfective epimastigotes into infective metacyclic trypomastigotes (metacyclogenesis) is a fundamental step in the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, comprising several morphological and biochemical changes. GP82 and GP90 are glycoproteins expressed at the surface of metacyclic trypomastigote, with opposite roles in mammalian cell invasion. GP82 is an adhesin that promotes cell invasion, while GP90 acts as a negative regulator of parasite internalization. Our understanding of the synthesis and intracellular trafficking of GP82 and GP90 during metacyclogenesis is still limited. Therefore, we decided to determine whether GP82 and GP90 are expressed only in fully differentiated metacyclic forms or they start to be expressed in intermediate forms undergoing differentiation.Methods: Parasite populations enriched in intermediate forms undergoing differentiation were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence to assess GP82 and GP90 expression.Results: We found that GP82 and GP90 mRNAs and proteins are expressed in intermediate forms and reach higher levels in fully differentiated metacyclic forms. Surprisingly, GP82 and GP90 presented distinct cellular localizations in intermediate forms compared to metacyclic trypomastigotes. in intermediate forms, GP82 is localized in organelles at the posterior region and colocalizes with cruzipain, while GP90 is localized at the flagellar pocket region.Conclusions: This study discloses new aspects of protein expression and trafficking during T. cruzi differentiation by showing that the machinery involved in GP82 and GP90 gene expression starts to operate early in the differentiation process and that different secretion pathways are responsible for delivering these glycoproteins toward the cell surface.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biofis Carlos Chagas Filho, BR-21949900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

A usucapião extrajudicial e a atuação do cartório de registro de imóveis: uma opção pela celeridade ou manutenção das práticas burocráticas?

The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of the New Code of Civil Procedure on a type of adverse acquisition, giving special attention the insertion of article 1.071, which provides for the possibility of claiming usucaption in a registry of titles concerning real estate. The legal provisions are also stated in the main objectives of the new code. It is proposed to move away from the pessimistic bias that leads to the disqualification of the institute, to adopt a new perspective, in which, the notarial deed is suggested as a facilitating tool in the implementation of the Usucaption.O presente artigo tem como propósito a analise do impacto do Novo Código de Processo Civil na usucapião, concedendo especial atenção à nova modalidade, trazida com a inserção do artigo 1.071, que prevê a possibilidade de se pleitear a usucapião em cartório de registro de imóveis. Pontua-se ainda a fundamentação nos objetivos principais do novo código, dentre os quais destaca-se a busca pela celeridade. Propõe-se o afastamento do viés pessimista que conduz a desqualificação do instituto, para adoção de uma nova perspectiva, na qual, a ata notarial é sugerida como ferramenta facilitadora na efetivação do procedimento da usucapião. 

A Regularização Fundiária nas Favelas nos Casos de “Direito de Laje”: Construindo Pontes entre o Direito Inoficial e o Direito Vigente

This article aims to demonstrate analytically the housing issue inside the slums, taking as theoretical basis the new concept about the “right of the slab”. To question, traditional institutions of civil law will be used, for example, the right of surface and the adverse possession, highlighting the barriers to their implementation in the slums context. Finally, we intend to propose a dialogical perspective, involving different legal institutions, as a possible solution to the issue of regularization in slum áreasO presente artigo pretende trabalhar de forma analítica a questão da regularização fundiária das favelas, tomando por base teórica a apresentação do conceito de “Direito de Laje”. Para a problematização do tema serão utilizados institutos do Direito Civil Brasileiro, tais como o Direito de Superfície e a Usucapião, ressaltando os entraves da aplicação destes aos arranjos comumente observados em regiões favelizadas. Por fim, pretendemos propor uma perspectiva dialógica envolvendo diversos institutos jurídicos como possível solução a questão da regularização das moradias em favelas

A IMPENHORABILIDADE DO BEM DE FAMILIA DO FIADOR NOS CASOS DE LOCAÇÃO COMERCIAL À LUZ DO MAIS RECENTE ENTENDIMENTO DO SUPREMO TRIBUNAL FEDERAL

O presente artigo tem como objetivo a discussão da impenhorabilidade do bem de família do fiador nos contratos de locação, o fundamento para rediscussão do tema foi a recente decisão do Supremo Tribunal Federal no julgamento do Recurso Extraordinário nº 605.709, na qual averigou-se uma mudança de entendimento em relação à aplicação do bem de família aos fiadores de contrato de locação comercial. Assim, discutir-se-á os possíveis impactos do julgado sob diversas óticas, que perpassam pelo direito material envolvido e também pelo aspecto processual. Metodologicamente optou-se pela analise de discursos doutrinários, acrescida da analise jurisprudencial da decisão do STF