Evaluating Food Commodity Procurement Strategies

We use a case study approach to determine the primary factors affecting food manufacturers' commodity procurement decisions, as well as to examine the strategic nature of commodity procurement departments. The research fills a gap in both the commodity and procurement literature. A large literature exists on commodity marketing; however, very little exists on the topic of commodity procurement. Existing procurement literature tends to focus on non-commodity products rather than commodity products. The results suggest a model for the strategic role of commodity procurement departments within food manufacturers. The initial procurement strategy must be supply maintenance, which once accomplished, allows the commodity procurement department to progress to a profit-focused strategy, which is generally cost-based. Finally, the role of the commodity procurement department can expand by offering additional services to customers, such as designing promotional programs.Marketing,

ESTIMATING IMPORT DEMAND IN THE MEXICAN CHEESE MARKET

Mexico is the fastest growing market for US dairy exports and it is the largest market for U.S. cheese. The U.S. has always enjoyed a large share of the Mexican cheese market. However, its share growth has been less dynamic than the share of Europe, Oceania and other countries, despite advantages in proximity, shipping costs, and delivery times. We use an Almost Ideal Demand System to estimate own and cross-price elasticities in the Mexican cheese import market to assess the comparative position of the U.S. relative to other cheese market participants.Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade,

Efficient oxide phosphors for light upconversion; green emission from Yb3+ and Ho3+ co-doped Ln(2)BaZnO(5) (Ln = Y, Gd)

This is the author's accepted version of the article. The final published article can be found here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C0JM01652

The room temperature phosphine-free synthesis of near-infrared emitting HgSe quantum dots

Luminescent mercury selenide (HgSe) quantum dots have been synthesised by a phosphine-free method using oleic acid as a capping agent. The modification of experimental conditions such as temperature resulted in particles of various sizes (15–100 nm) and morphologies not previously seen in HgSe, with emission tuneable between 1000 nm and 1350 nm

Structural Insights into Differences in Drug-binding Selectivity between Two Forms of Human α1-Acid Glycoprotein Genetic Variants, the A and F1*S Forms

Human α1-acid glycoprotein (hAGP) in serum functions as a carrier of basic drugs. In most individuals, hAGP exists as a mixture of two genetic variants, the F1*S and A variants, which bind drugs with different selectivities. We prepared a mutant of the A variant, C149R, and showed that its drug-binding properties were indistinguishable from those of the wild type. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of this mutant hAGP alone and complexed with disopyramide (DSP), amitriptyline (AMT), and the nonspecific drug chlorpromazine (CPZ). The crystal structures revealed that the drug-binding pocket on the A variant is located within an eight-stranded β-barrel, similar to that found in the F1*S variant and other lipocalin family proteins. However, the binding region of the A variant is narrower than that of the F1*S variant. In the crystal structures of complexes with DSP and AMT, the two aromatic rings of each drug interact with Phe-49 and Phe-112 at the bottom of the binding pocket. Although the structure of CPZ is similar to those of DSP and AMT, its fused aromatic ring system, which is extended in length by the addition of a chlorine atom, appears to dictate an alternative mode of binding, which explains its nonselective binding to the F1*S and A variant hAGPs. Modeling experiments based on the co-crystal structures suggest that, in complexes of DSP, AMT, or CPZ with the F1*S variant, Phe-114 sterically hinders interactions with DSP and AMT, but not CPZ. © 2011 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc

Shapes of Molecular Cloud Cores and the Filamentary Mode of Star Formation

Using recent dust continuum data, we generate the intrinsic ellipticity distribution of dense, starless molecular cloud cores. Under the hypothesis that the cores are all either oblate or prolate randomly-oriented spheroids, we show that a satisfactory fit to observations can be obtained with a gaussian prolate distribution having a mean intrinsic axis ratio of 0.54. Further, we show that correlations exist between the apparent axis ratio and both the peak intensity and total flux density of emission from the cores, the sign of which again favours the prolate hypothesis. The latter result shows that the mass of a given core depends on its intrinsic ellipticity. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to find the best-fit power law of this dependence. Finally, we show how these results are consistent with an evolutionary scenario leading from filamentary parent clouds to increasingly massive, condensed, and roughly spherical embedded cores.Comment: 16 pages, incl. 11 Postscript figures. Accepted by Ap

Study of an advanced General Aviation Turbine Engine (GATE)

The best technology program for a small, economically viable gas turbine engine applicable to the general aviation helicopter and aircraft market for 1985-1990 was studied. Turboshaft and turboprop engines in the 112 to 746 kW (150 to 1000 hp) range and turbofan engines up to 6672 N (1500 lbf) thrust were considered. A good market for new turbine engines was predicted for 1988 providing aircraft are designed to capitalize on the advantages of the turbine engine. Parametric engine families were defined in terms of design and off-design performance, mass, and cost. These were evaluated in aircraft design missions selected to represent important market segments for fixed and rotary-wing applications. Payoff parameters influenced by engine cycle and configuration changes were aircraft gross mass, acquisition cost, total cost of ownership, and cash flow. Significant advantage over a current technology, small gas turbine engines was found especially in cost of ownership and fuel economy for airframes incorporating an air-cooled high-pressure ratio engine. A power class of 373 kW (500 hp) was recommended as the next frontier for technology advance where large improvements in fuel economy and engine mass appear possible through component research and development

Water Uptake Threshold of Rabbiteye (\u3ci\u3eVaccinium ashei\u3c/i\u3e) Blueberries and Its Influence on Fruit Splitting

Split-resistant and split-susceptible rabbiteye blueberry fruit were evaluated at all stages of development to determine \u27\u27water uptake thresholds\u27\u27 by soaking in distilled water. Weight increase after soaking was measured, and percent weight gain was calculated to take into consideration the weight increase of the fruit from development. The ratio of percent increase in volume to weight increase resulting from water uptake was calculated. Ratios of percent water uptake to weight increase between splitsusceptible \u27Tifblue\u27 and split-resistant \u27Premier\u27 blueberries were found to be similar. The split-susceptible \u27Tifblue\u27 had a 1.6 g/50 fruit increase with a 1.7% water uptake and a ratio of 1.08. \u27Premier\u27 had a higher weight increase with 3.3 g/50 fruit and also a higher percentage of water uptake at 3.6% providing a ratio of 1.09. Although both absorbed water at a constant rate shown by a linear increase of weight increase over time, \u27Premier\u27 absorbed a significantly greater amount of water than did \u27Tifblue\u27 yet remained intact and did not split