An Analysis of Price Determination in the Sweet Cherry Markets of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California

Crop Production/Industries, Demand and Price Analysis,

British Columbia Consumers' Preferences for Italian Wines: Reputation and Vintage Effects on Wine Quality and Prices

Italian wines have been enjoyed by Canadian consumers for decades and the consumption is not limited to the ethnic Italian population. The study examines effects of wine characteristics and the brand associated with the designation of geographic origin estimating five hedonic price equations for Barbaresco; Barbera; Veneto (Valpolicella, Amarone and Reecioto); Soave; and, Chianti and uses weekly sales data from British Columbia retail outlets. Results indicate that, in general, a premium was paid for higher alcohol content, but the effects of individual brands within each area of origin varied and the range of price premia and discounts was from 14% to -12% suggesting that small price changes with regard to the baseline wine price could affect purchase.Hedonic pricing, appellation, objective characteristics, Demand and Price Analysis,

Pricing Attributes of Wines from Emerging Suppliers on the British Columbia Market

We examine British Columbia (BC) wine consumers’ valuation of wine imported from emerging suppliers (Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia and Hungary) through the estimation of a hedonic price function. Retail sales data employed in this study comes from the BC Liquor Distribution Branch and covers weekly sales of table wine that was imported from all five countries into the province of British Columbia. The results indicate that the grape variety is an important factor influencing consumers’ willingness to pay. In particular, white and red wines from Chile are associated with larger price premia while wines from Argentina command a premium only among red wines. Wines from Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary, although sold in large quantities in the BC market, are associated with significant price discounts compared to wines from New World suppliers.hedonic pricing, objective characteristics, New World countries, wine, Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis,

The impact of exposure to media coverage of the 2012 paralympic games on mixed physical ability interactions

The current work assessed the impact of the 2012 Paralympic Games on psychological factors operating during interactions between physically disabled and non-disabled group members. In a two-wave longitudinal design the pre- to post-Paralympic increase in exposure to Paralympic media coverage led to more positive ingroup norms about disabled people’s competence and improved intergroup contact quality among both physically disabled and non-disabled participants. Moreover, more positive norms about disabled people’s competence partially mediated the relationship between media exposure and contact quality. However, exposure to Paralympic media coverage did not appear to impact embarrassment about intergroup contact within either group. Findings are discussed in terms of the efficacy and limitations of Paralympic media coverage to improve intergroup relations in the mixed physical ability context

Serotonin Induces Temporally and Mechanistically Distinct Phases of Persistent PKA Activity in Aplysia Sensory Neurons

AbstractThe cAMP signaling cascade has been implicated in several stages of memory formation. We have examined activation of this cascade by serotonin (5-HT) in the sensory neurons of Aplysia. We find that different patterns of 5-HT exposure induce three distinct modes of PKA activation. First, a single 5 min pulse induces transient (5 min) PKA activation that requires neither transcription nor translation. Second, 4–5 pulses induce intermediate-term persistent activation (3 hr duration) that requires translation but not transcription. Third, 5 pulses of 5-HT, as well as continuous (90 min) exposure, induce long-term persistent activation 20 hr later, which requires both transcription and translation. Thus, in the sensory neurons, different patterns of 5-HT give rise to three independent phases of PKA activation that differ in their induction requirements, their temporal profiles, and their molecular mechanisms

An ethical framework for the creation and use of 3D printed human remains in crime reconstruction

There is currently a lack of clear guidance setting out ethical best practice in 3D forensic science broadly, and for 3D printing human remains specifically. This paper presents nine ethical principles identified by Carew et al. [4,7] that provide a foundation for establishing ethical practice. The relevance of the nine key normative ethics principles (justice transparency, proportionality, beneficence, context, non-maleficence, anonymity, consent, and autonomy) is outlined, and a hierarchical ethics framework is presented that sets out a synthesis of these nine principles at societal, case, and task levels. This framework sets out key principles to be considered at different stages in the forensic science process and in operational planning, as well as identifying the accountability of key decision makers at each stage. The hierarchical ethics framework provides an adaptive tool that forensic actors can use in practice, to take each ethical principle into consideration and develop best ethical practice, that ensures 3D printed human remains are created and used in an ethical manner

3D forensic science: A new field integrating 3D imaging and 3D printing in crime reconstruction

3D techniques are increasingly being used by forensic scientists in crime reconstruction. The proliferation of 3D techniques, such as 3D imaging and printing being employed across the various stages of the forensic science process, means that the use of 3D should be considered as a distinct field within forensic science. '3D Forensic Science' ('3DFS') is therefore presented in this paper as a field that brings together a range of 3D techniques and approaches that have been developed within different areas of forensic science for achieving crime reconstructions and interpreting and presenting evidence. It is argued that by establishing this distinct field, defining its boundaries, and developing expertise, best practice and standards, the contribution of 3DFS to the criminal justice system can be maximised and the accuracy and robustness of crime reconstruction endeavours can be enhanced

Suitability of 3D printing cranial trauma: Prospective novel applications and limitations of 3D replicas

3D printed reconstructions of skeletal material offer a novel, interactive and increasingly used tool to support courtroom testimony and aid juror interpretation of expert testimony. While research has begun to address the accuracy of 3D printed skeletal material, there has been little consideration of the diverse applications of prints to support trauma demonstrations, particularly in relation to gunshot trauma. This study explored the suitability of three printed human crania replicas exhibiting either gunshot trauma or blunt force trauma for identifying whether the prints were sufficiently accurate for the presentation of trauma wounds. The data indicate that metric measurement and qualitative assessment of trauma macromorphology was possible from the 3D printed reconstructions. The findings also offer an indication that it is possible to obtain data around the accuracy of 3D printing bullet wounds and for establishing a bullet path. However, some limitations of prints reconstructed from post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) data were identified including the observation that not all fracture lines were successfully replicated which indicates that at present virtual models should be used concurrently with 3D prints in court