YIELD RESPONSE IN PAKISTAN AGRICULTURE: A COINTEGRATION APPROACH

We seek to quantify and evaluate the supply (yield) response of wheat and cotton in Pakistan using cointegration analysis and annual data for 1960-96. The results reveal that wheat supply is significantly influenced by the prices of wheat, cotton, and fertilizer, the percentage area under high yielding wheat varieties, and the rabi season (winter) water availability. The cotton supply is found to be significantly influenced by the real cotton price, the real fertilizer price, and in the irrigated area. The wheat supply was found to be inelastic both in the short- and long-run. However, cotton supply was elastic in the long-run.Pakistan, supply response, wheat, cotton, cointegration., Crop Production/Industries,

Isolation of 39 polymorphic microsatellite loci and the development of a fluorescently labelled marker set for the Eurasian badger

We have isolated 78 microsatellite loci from the Eurasian badger (Meles meles). Of the 52 loci characterized, 39 were found to be polymorphic. A fluorescently labelled primer set was developed to enable individual-specific 17-locus genotypes to be obtained efficiently

Low-threshold organic laser based on an oligofluorene truxene with low optical losses

A blue-emitting distributed feedback laser based on a star-shaped oligofluorene truxene molecule is presented. The gain, loss, refractive index, and (lack of) anisotropy are measured by amplified spontaneous emission and variable-angle ellipsometry. The waveguide losses are very low for an organic semiconductor gain medium, particularly for a neat film. The results suggest that truxenes are promising for reducing loss, a key parameter in the operation of organic semiconductor lasers. Distributed feedback lasers fabricated from solution by spin-coating show a low lasing threshold of 270 W/cm(2) and broad tunability across 25 nm in the blue part of the spectrum

A volume-preserving sharpening approach for the propagation of sharp phase boundaries in multiphase lattice Boltzmann simulations

Lattice Boltzmann models that recover a macroscopic description of multiphase flow of immiscible liquids typically represent the boundaries between phases using a scalar function, the phase field, that varies smoothly over several grid points. Attempts to tune the model parameters to minimise the thicknesses of these interfaces typically lead to the interfaces becoming fixed to the underlying grid instead of advecting with the fluid velocity. This phenomenon, known as lattice pinning, is strikingly similar to that associated with the numerical simulation of conservation laws coupled to stiff algebraic source terms. We present a lattice Boltzmann formulation of the model problem proposed by LeVeque and Yee [J. Comput. Phys. 86, 187] to study the latter phenomenon in the context of computational combustion, and offer a volume-conserving extension in multiple space dimensions. Inspired by the random projection method of Bao and Jin [J. Comput. Phys. 163, 216] we further generalise this formulation by introducing a uniformly distributed quasi-random variable into the term responsible for the sharpening of phase boundaries. This method is mass conserving and the statistical average of this method is shown to significantly delay the onset of pinning

Price transmission, BSE and structural breaks in the UK meat sector

This paper examines transmission between producer and retail prices for beef, lamb and pork in the UK and the impact of public concern over bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in early 1996. We used the cointegration procedure of Johansen et al. 2000), which admits structural breaks in cointegrating space. Results with monthly data for 1986–2000 show that a long‐run relationship exists between each producer and retail price, and that a structural break occurs in the beef relationship at the height of the BSE crisis, which increases the margin by £1.12/kg. In contrast, there is no evidence of BSE‐related breaks in the lamb or pork relationshipsPublishe

Use of vaccines and factors associated with their uptake variability in dogs, cats and rabbits attending a large sentinel network of veterinary practices across Great Britain

Vaccination remains a mainstay of companion animal population health. However, how vaccine use at a population level complies with existing guidelines is unknown. Here we use electronic health records to describe vaccination in dogs, cats and rabbits attending a large sentinel network of UK veterinary practices. In total, 77.9% (95% CI: 77.6-78.1) of animals had recorded vaccinations. The percentage of animals with recorded vaccinations was higher in dogs, neutered animals, in insured dogs and cats and in purebred dogs. Vaccination rates varied in different regions of Great Britain in all species. Dogs and cats belonging to owners living in less deprived areas of England and Scotland were more likely to be recorded as vaccinated. In the vaccinated population, cats received more core vaccines per year of life (0.86) than dogs (0.75), with feline leukaemia vaccines almost as frequent as core vaccines. In dogs, leptospira vaccines were more frequent than core vaccines. This descriptive study suggests a substantial proportion of animals are not benefiting from vaccine protection. For the first time, we identify potential factors associated with variations in recorded vaccination frequency, providing a critical baseline against which to monitor future changes in companion animal vaccination and evidence to inform future targeted health interventions

Superprocesses as models for information dissemination in the Future Internet

Future Internet will be composed by a tremendous number of potentially interconnected people and devices, offering a variety of services, applications and communication opportunities. In particular, short-range wireless communications, which are available on almost all portable devices, will enable the formation of the largest cloud of interconnected, smart computing devices mankind has ever dreamed about: the Proximate Internet. In this paper, we consider superprocesses, more specifically super Brownian motion, as a suitable mathematical model to analyse a basic problem of information dissemination arising in the context of Proximate Internet. The proposed model provides a promising analytical framework to both study theoretical properties related to the information dissemination process and to devise efficient and reliable simulation schemes for very large systems

Long-term sea-level rise necessitates a commitment to adaptation: a first order assessment

Without adaptation, sea-level rise (SLR) will put more people at risk of flooding. This requires a timely and adequate commitment to adaptation. In this paper, we show how adaptation needs to unfold over time to manage climate-induced SLR. We use a novel scenario-neutral approach, applied globally and subsequently combined with SLR and population scenarios, to assess when, where, and how fast to adapt up to 2150. As rates of SLR accelerate, adaptation needs to occur at an increasing pace or at a larger scale. While it is certain that adaptation will be necessary, it is uncertain when and how fast. After only ~0.15m SLR relative to 2020, 1 million people need to adapt to permanent submergence and the amount of people at risk of a 100-year flood increases with 21% to 83 million people. This would occur in the next 30 (20-45) years for RCP4.5 and within 25 (18-36) years under RCP8.5, assuming no change in protection or population. The uncertainty in timing increases with higher SLR, albeit for some impacts it can still a matter of time. Population at risk of a 100-year flood doubles after 0.75m SLR which could occur by ~2080 (2068-2088), 2100 (2085-2130), or 2150 (2115-beyond 2150) under a high-end, RCP8.5, or RCP4.5 scenario respectively. The rate, at which the risk increases, differs strongly per country. In some countries an additional 1-5 million people of the present population will be at risk of a 100-year flood within the next two decades, while others have more time to adapt but will see rapid growth of risk past 2100. Combining SLR impacts with projected population change further increases the number of people at risk of a 100-year flood by ~13% between 2040-2060 (under both RCP8.5-SSP5 or RCP4.5-SSP2). This can be managed through protecting, floodproofing or limiting developments in high-risk areas. A commitment to adaptation is inevitable to maintain risk at present levels. With increasing warnings of the potential for accelerated SLR due to rapid ice sheet melt, adaptation may need to happen faster and sooner than previously anticipated which can have consequences for how to adapt. Failure to acknowledge the potential and long-term (including beyond 2100) adaptation commitment in development and adaptation planning may lead to a commitment gap and subsequently expensive retrofitting of infrastructure, creation of stranded assets, and less time to adapt at greater cost. In contrast, considering the long-term adaptation commitment can support timely adaptation and alignment with other societal goals

Unparticle Searches Through Gamma Gamma Scattering

We investigate the effects of unparticles on gamma gamma--> gamma gamma scattering for photon collider mode of the future multi-TeV e^+e^- linear collider. We show the effects of unparticles on the differential, and total scattering cross sections for different polarization configurations. Considering 1-loop Standard Model background contributions from the charged fermions, and W^{+-} bosons to the cross section, we calculate the upper limits on the unparticle couplings lambda_0 to the photons for various values of the scaling dimension d(1<d<2) at sqrt{s}=0.5-5 TeV.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, 2 table

Social dysfunction is transdiagnostically associated with default mode network dysconnectivity in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease

Objectives: Social dysfunction is one of the most common signs of major neuropsychiatric disorders. The Default Mode Network (DMN) is crucially implicated in both psychopathology and social dysfunction, although the transdiagnostic properties of social dysfunction remains unknown. As part of the pan-European PRISM (Psychiatric Ratings using Intermediate Stratified Markers) project, we explored cross-disorder impact of social dysfunction on DMN connectivity. Methods: We studied DMN intrinsic functional connectivity in relation to social dysfunction by applying Independent Component Analysis and Dual Regression on resting-state fMRI data, among schizophrenia (SZ; N=48), Alzheimer disease (AD; N=47) patients and healthy controls (HC; N=55). Social dysfunction was operationalised via the Social Functioning Scale (SFS) and De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale (LON). Results: Both SFS and LON were independently associated with diminished DMN connectional integrity within rostromedial prefrontal DMN subterritories (pcorrected range=0.02–0.04). The combined effect of these indicators (Mean.SFS + LON) on diminished DMN connectivity was even more pronounced (both spatially and statistically), independent of diagnostic status, and not confounded by key clinical or sociodemographic effects, comprising large sections of rostromedial and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (pcorrected =0.01). Conclusions: These findings pinpoint DMN connectional alterations as putative transdiagnostic endophenotypes for social dysfunction and could aid personalised care initiatives grounded in social behaviourThe project leading to this application has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 115916. This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA. This publication reflects only the author’s views and neither the IMI 2JU nor EFPIA nor the European Commission are liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therei