The Western Pacific Fishery Information Network: A Fisheries Information System

The Western Pacific Fishery Information Network (WPACFlN) is an intergovernmental agency cooperative program sponsored by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to help participating island fisheries agencies carry out data collection, analysis, reporting programs, and data management activities to better support fisheries management under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act; and to help meet local fisheries information and management needs. The WPACFlN is the central source of information for Federal fisheries management of most fisheries in American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and it plays an important role in acquiring fisheries data in Hawaii. This paper describes the development and status of this fishery information system

Mass Privatization and the Postcommunist Mortality Crisis

During the transition to capitalism, postcommunist countries have experienced unprecedented mortality crises, although there has been considerable variation within — and between — countries and regions. Much of this variation remains unexplained, although alcohol and psychological stress have been found to be major causes of declining life expectancy. We move beyond this finding by showing that the implementation of neoliberal-inspired rapid large-scale privatization programs (mass privatization) was a major determinant of the decline in life expectancy. We find that mass privatization also increased alcohol-related deaths, heart disease, and suicide rates, strong evidence that mass privatization created psychosocial stress that directly resulted in higher mortality. We also find that mass privatization modestly contributed to a decline in the number of physicians, dentists, and hospital beds per capita; however, we find only very weak evidence that this reduction in health resources directly contributed to the mortality crisis itself. By using “control function” and instrumental variable approaches to account for the potential endogeneity of mass privatization, we also demonstrate that the choice of mass privatization as a property-reform strategy was not economically determined, but was rather caused by ethnic politics and the mimicking of policies adopted by powerful neighboring countries.postcommunist, mortality crisis, privatization, psychosocial stress

The Governance Grenade: Mass Privatization, State Capacity and Economic Growth in Post-communist Countries

Why did the transitions from state socialism to capitalism result in improved growth in some countries but significant economic declines in others? Three main arguments have been advanced: (1) the most successful countries rapidly implemented privatization, liberalization, and stabilization policies; (2) failures were unrelated to economic policies but occurred because of a poor institutional environment; and (3) the policies were counterproductive because they damaged the state. We present a state-centered theory which argues that the more radical the privatization program, the worse the subsequent performance. We agree with the second account, that institutions matter, but demonstrate that it was radical privatization itself which was a major determinant of institutional weakness. In addition, our account holds that privatization was in fact a crucial determinant of institutional failure, operating primarily through the creation of a massive shock to state revenues. We perform cross-national regressions for a sample of 30 countries between 1990 and 2000, and find that mass privatization programs negatively impacted economic growth, state capacity and property rights protection. These findings are corroborated with data from a random sample of 4,000 firms from 26 post-communist countries. We show that in countries which implemented sizable mass-privatized programs, privatized firms were substantially less likely to engage in successful industrial restructuring but considerably more likely to engage in barter and have tax arrears than their state owned counterparts.

Evaluation of Cattle Use of A Deer Winter Range in the Black Hills

Cattle use of a deer winter range in the Black Hills was investigated during the summer grazing seasons of 1971-1972. A U.S. Forest Service grazing allotment situated between Mystic and Redfern, South Dakota, was used as the study area. The allotment was divided into five grazing units or pastures managed collectively under a “rest-rotation” system of grazing. Three study sites were selected in each unit of the allotment, and 75 exclosures were erected on each site; a paired-plot method was used to collect data. Indices to use of sites by deer and cattle were obtained by counts of deer pellet groups and cow ships on belt transects. Bottom, upland meadow, and prairie study sites were dominated by Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and a variety of forbs. Western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) was the prevalent browse species on these sites. Vegetation on the open slope and open forest sites was comprised of a large variety of grasses, forbs, and browse, with timber oatgrass (Danthonia intermedia), goldenrod (Solidago spp.), and rose (Rosa spp.) as abundant species. Bottom, upland meadow, and prairie sites received the heaviest grazing use by cattle both years, with Kentucky bluegrass comprising the highest percentage of the total forage consumed. Most forage species were grazed inadvertently with Kentucky bluegrass, but preference by cattle was observed for white clover (Trifolium repens), white heath aster (Aster ericoides), and mountain-dandelion (Agoseris glauca). Grazing of browse was not considered severe on any site throughout the grazing season. Grazing by cattle was negligible on open slope and open forest sites. Use by cattle, measured by counts of cow chips per day of grazing, was highest on bottom, upland meadow, and prairie sites, and lowest on open slope and open forest sites. Counts of deer pellet groups were negligible on all sites throughout the grazing season both years. Use by deer in winter, however, as measured by counts of pellet groups, was high on all sites except the prairie site. Results of this study indicate that the winter carrying capacity of the study area for deer was not significantly affected by cattle grazing in summer

Perception of Bone Mineral Loss on Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) & Digital Periapical (PA) Film: An Ex-Vivo Comparison

Using micro computed tomography (micro-CT) as a reference standard, the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the influences of bone mineral loss and radiographic contrast in digital periapical (PA) film and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Seven dog and human mandibles were sectioned, followed by modification via cortical bone drilling to create 248 lesions and/or trabecular bone acid demineralization to create 96 coronal slice pairs. Pretreatment and post-treatment radiographs (PA, CBCT, and/or micro-CT) were taken for lesion rating/perception in addition to two-dimensional (area) and three-dimensional (volumetric) measurements of 50 drilling lesions and 20 coronal slice pairs. 4-7% bone mineral loss is needed for radiographic perception of cortical bone drilling lesions (rating ≥3), and at least 17.34% bone mineral loss is needed for trabecular bone acid demineralization perception. Radiographic contrast indices were difficult to ascertain and may be related to regional differences and lesion anatomical location. This study suggests that even though %BML is a major factor in radiographic lesion perception, additional factors of regional and anatomical contrast influence lesion rating. With a limited sample size, further testing is needed to investigate cortical bone lesion perception differences between dog and human mandibles, to quantify radiographic contrast, and to identify more precise trabecular bone demineralization thresholds

Öko-Lebensmittel aus veganem Anbau: Wahrnehmung und Mehrzahlungsbereitschaft veganer Konsumenten

Die „Biozyklisch-Veganen Anbaurichtlinien“ untersagen die Verwendung von tierischen Düngemitteln und schränken den Einsatz von gezüchteten Nützlingen und Pestiziden ein. Es ist jedoch bisher nicht bekannt, ob vegane Konsumenten pflanzliche Lebensmittel nicht mehr als vegan erachten, wenn in der landwirtschaftlichen Produktion tierische Stoffe eingesetzt oder Insekten beim Anbau getötet werden. Ziel des Beitrags ist es, zu untersuchen, wie Veganer vegane Produkte definieren und die Mehrzahlungsbereitschaft für Produkte aus bio-veganer Landwirtschaft zu ermitteln. Die Umfrage wurde mit 152 veganen Konsumenten durchgeführt, die Öko-Lebensmittel kaufen. Zur Ermittlung der Zahlungsbereitschaft kam die Methode der kontingenten Bewertung zum Einsatz. Über die Hälfte der Befragten war der Ansicht, dass Salat nicht vegan ist, wenn er mit Hornspänen gedüngt wurde. Aber nur 27 Prozent der Befragungsteilnehmer gaben an, dass Kartoffeln als „nicht vegan“ bezeichnet werden sollten, wenn beim Anbau Kartoffelkäfer getötet werden. Trotzdem bieten über 80 Prozent der veganen Verbraucher einen Aufpreis für Salat und Kartoffeln aus veganer Landwirtschaft. Die Veganer, die das Töten der Kartoffelkäfer als nicht vegan erachten, boten den höchsten Preisaufschlag

Consumer Preferences for Pasture-Raised Animal Products: Results from Michigan

The pasture-based model of agriculture potentially offers opportunities for small- and medium-scale livestock producers in local, regional, and national markets. Our data indicate that many consumers value the attributes associated with locally produced pasture-raised products. We used ordered probit and binary probit analyses of these data to identify the demographic segments that showed the greatest interest in these attributes. This interest suggests a broad education and marketing effort to articulate salient attributes and to differentiate and increase the availability of these products in the marketplace.Demand and Price Analysis, Livestock Production/Industries,

Mass Privatization, State Capacity, and Economic Growth in Post-Communist Countries

Why did the transition from socialism to capitalism result in improved growth in some countries and significant economic decline in others? Scholars have advanced three main arguments: (1) successful countries rapidly implemented neoliberal policies; (2) failures were not due to policies but to poor institutional environments; and (3) policies were counterproductive because they damaged the state. We present a state-centered theory and empirically demonstrate for the first time one of several possible mechanisms linking neoliberal policies to poor economic performance: mass privatization programs, where implemented, created a massive fiscal shock for post-communist governments, thereby undermining the development of private-sector governance institutions and severely exacerbating the transformational recession. We performed cross-national panel regressions for a sample of 25 post-communist countries between 1990 and 2000 and found that mass privatization programs negatively affected economic growth, state capacity, and property rights protection. We further tested these findings with firm-level data from a representative survey of managers in 3,550 companies operating in 24 post-communist countries. Within countries that implemented mass-privatized programs, newly privatized firms were substantially less likely to engage in industrial restructuring but considerably more likely to use barter and accumulate tax arrears than their state-owned counterparts.Sociolog