7,475 research outputs found
Are All Resources Cursed? Coffee, Oil and Armed Confict in Colombia
The Resource Curse" posits a positive association between the value of natural commodities and civil conflict. In this paper, we suggest that the value-to-violence relationship differs across commodities, and that the factor intensity of production determines whether a rise in the price of a legally traded good will exacerbate conflict. We exploit exogenous price shocks for coffee and oil to test this hypothesis, using data on politically-motivated violence in Colombia over 1988 to 2004. We find that a drop in coffee prices during the 1990s led to a disproportionate rise in conflict in the coffee areas. Poverty dynamics follow a similar pattern, while substitution into drug crops do not, which suggests that it is the fall in income rather than the drug trade that fuelled this effect. In contrast, we find that oil prices are positively related to clashes with government forces, and that state revenue is used to strengthen military presence in oil areas. Our results suggest that the income channel is critical in determining how price shocks to labor-intensive commodities affect insurgency. However, for capital-intensive goods, the revenue effect predominates in mediating how the value of the commodity affects violence."Colombia, Civil War, Resource Curse, Difference in Differences
Significance of sweet sorghum as a multi-purpose crop for sub-Saharan Africa
There is great interest in sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) for promoting resilience in rural livelihoods in Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA). Unlike other crops, sweet sorghum is a multi-purpose crop for grain, feed, fodder, chewing, syrup and biofuel production. The objective of this paper is to analyse information on the diversity within the crop, its adaptation and plant breeding efforts in SSA. We also discuss opportunities that exist in SSA that make the crop an attractive alternative. It is clear from the review that the crop has a wide genetic base, hence significant improvements can be made on a number of preferred traits. The review further outlines four possible production models for the economic development of the sweet sorghum industry in Sub-Saharan Africa; which are (i) production for supply to urban chewing markets, (ii) syrup production, (iii) biofuel production and (iv) fodder production. Although current research focuses on production of ethanol for biofuel, other potential uses such as production for chewing, syrup and fodder cannot be overlooked for most SSA farmers. A lot has to be done on the research front before biofuel production from sweet sorghum can be profitable and technically feasible. Future plant breeding efforts can be tailor made to deliver cultivars with peculiar traits for various end-uses
Statistical correlation of structural mode shapes from test measurements and NASTRAN analytical values
The software and procedures of a system of programs used to generate a report of the statistical correlation between NASTRAN modal analysis results and physical tests results from modal surveys are described. Topics discussed include: a mathematical description of statistical correlation, a user's guide for generating a statistical correlation report, a programmer's guide describing the organization and functions of individual programs leading to a statistical correlation report, and a set of examples including complete listings of programs, and input and output data
University of Maine Connection to the vBNS
This award is made under the high performance connections portion of ANIR\u27s Connections to the Internet announcement, NSF 96-64. It provides partial support for two years for a DS-3 connection to the vBNS. Applications include projects in artificial intelligence and underwater vehicle research, wood science anf forest engineering, tribology, ceramic film characterization, insect population dynamics, digital libraries, conflict and violence, and oceanography. Collaborating institutions include the Naval Postgraduate School; Pennsylvania State University; University of New Hampshire; Brookhaven, Argonne and Oak Ridge National Labs; Naval Research Lab; University of Illinois; Naval Undersea Weapons Center; University of California - Santa Barbara; Woods Hole; Dartmouth; Bedford Institute of Oceanography; several European institutions; Oregon State University; University of Rhode Island; and Goddard Space Flight Center.
For additional information: http://homeland.maine.edu
Gap Analysis for Future Agricultural Education Research in Eswatini, Swaziland
From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, agriculture educators began to use research as a way of verifying, creating, disseminating and applying new knowledge. However, existing literature is inconclusive on research themes covered and yet to be covered in Agricultural Education in Eswatini. Thus, this study sought to identify themes and gaps for future research in Agricultural Education in Eswatini. This was a qualitative study employing desk review in data collection. Trustworthiness of the content analysis guide was ensured through the use of experts from the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension (AEE) at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA). Data analysis was performed using frequencies and percentages. Findings of the study revealed that in Agricultural Education, gaps existed in the following thematic areas: primary themes - programme delivery methodologies and curriculum programme planning; and secondary themes- creative thinking and problem-solving; innovative instructional technologies; teaching basic and academic skills; professional staff development; educational methodologies for teaching and learning; professional preparation and competence; and needs of future agricultural workforce. The study concluded that research conducted in Agricultural Education in Eswatini is imbalanced in both primary and secondary research themes. Therefore, the Department of AEE at UNESWA must establish a research agenda to ensure that the research conducted is thematically balanced
PO and ID BCG vaccination in humans induce distinct mucosal and systemic immune responses and CD4(+) T cell transcriptomal molecular signatures.
Protective efficacy of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) may be affected by the methods and routes of vaccine administration. We have studied the safety and immunogenicity of oral (PO) and/or intradermal (ID) administration of BCG in healthy human subjects. No major safety concerns were detected in the 68 healthy adults vaccinated with PO and/or ID BCG. Although both PO and ID BCG could induce systemic Th1 responses capable of IFN-γ production, ID BCG more strongly induced systemic Th1 responses. In contrast, stronger mucosal responses (TB-specific secretory IgA and bronchoalveolar lavage T cells) were induced by PO BCG vaccination. To generate preliminary data comparing the early gene signatures induced by mucosal and systemic BCG vaccination, CD4(+) memory T cells were isolated from subsets of BCG vaccinated subjects pre- (Day 0) and post-vaccination (Days 7 and 56), rested or stimulated with BCG infected dendritic cells, and then studied by Illumina BeadArray transcriptomal analysis. Notably, distinct gene expression profiles were identified both on Day 7 and Day 56 comparing the PO and ID BCG vaccinated groups by GSEA analysis. Future correlation analyses between specific gene expression patterns and distinct mucosal and systemic immune responses induced will be highly informative for TB vaccine development.Mucosal Immunology advance online publication 30 August 2017; doi:10.1038/mi.2017.67
Gemeenregtelike en statutere regte van residensiele huurders gedurende die inperking in Suid-Afrika
Die COVID-19-pandemie het regoor die wereld ekonomiese verwoesting gesaai. In baie
stede staar residensiele huurders, wat hulle werke as gevolg van die ekonomiese slagting
verloor het, haweloosheid in die gesig. Sodanige huurders ervaar finansi61e nood en 'n
gevolglike onvermo6 om huur te betaal. Hierdie toedrag van sake het die Suid-Afrikaanse
regering genoop om 'n moratorium op uitsettings te plaas deur regulasies ingevolge die
Wet op Rampbestuurs 57 van 2002 (die "Grendelstaatregulasies") uit te vaardig. Sodanige
regulasies beperk egter vryheid van beweging en maak dit vir sommige residensiele
huurders onmoontlik om voordeel uit die okkupasie van huurpersele te trek, aangesien
hulle in ander provinsies of selfs oorsee vasgekeer is of was. Die eerste deel van hierdie
artikel ondersoek die gemeenregtelike regte van residensiele huurders wat weens die reisbeperkinge
wat deur die Grendelstaatregulasies opgele is, nie die volle genot van gehuurde
eiendomme in stede kan (of kon) geniet nie. Dit analiseer die pandemie as 'n
skielike, onvoorsiene en onvermydelike natnurlike gebeurtenis wat aan die elemente van
die definisie van vis major voldoen. Met did doel voor o6, bespreek hierdie bydrae die reg
van residensiele huurders om ingevolge die gemenereg die verweer van vis major te
gebruik om kwytskelding of vermindering van huur te eis. Die tweede deel van die artikel
ondersoek die beskerming van residensiele huurders teen swak behandeling deur verhuurders
en teen uitsettings tydens die grendelstaat.The National Research Foundation.http://www.lexisnexis.co.zaam2022Mercantile La
SIGNIFICANCE OF SWEET SORGHUM AS A MULTI-PURPOSE CROP FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
There is great interest in sweet sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.) for
promoting resilience in rural livelihoods in Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA).
Unlike other crops, sweet sorghum is a multi-purpose crop for grain,
feed, fodder, chewing, syrup and biofuel production. The objective of
this paper is to analyse information on the diversity within the crop,
its adaptation and plant breeding efforts in SSA. We also discuss
opportunities that exist in SSA that make the crop an attractive
alternative. It is clear from the review that the crop has a wide
genetic base, hence significant improvements can be made on a number of
preferred traits. The review further outlines four possible production
models for the economic development of the sweet sorghum industry in
Sub-Saharan Africa; which are (i) production for supply to urban
chewing markets, (ii) syrup production, (iii) biofuel production and
(iv) fodder production. Although current research focuses on production
of ethanol for biofuel, other potential uses such as production for
chewing, syrup and fodder cannot be overlooked for most SSA farmers. A
lot has to be done on the research front before biofuel production from
sweet sorghum can be profitable and technically feasible. Future plant
breeding efforts can be tailor made to deliver cultivars with peculiar
traits for various end-uses.Il existe un grand int\ue9r\ueat pour le sorgho doux (Sorghum
bicolor L.) pour promouvoir la r\ue9silience des moyens de
subsistance ruraux en Afrique subsaharienne (ASS). Contrairement \ue0
d\u2019autres cultures, le sorgho sucr\ue9 est une culture
polyvalente pour la production de c\ue9r\ue9ales, d\u2019aliments
pour animaux, de fourrage, de mastication, de sirop et de biocarburant.
L\u2019objectif de cet article est d\u2019examiner les informations
sur la diversit\ue9 au sein de la culture, son adaptation et les
efforts de s\ue9lection v\ue9g\ue9tale en ASS. Il traite
\ue9galement des opportunit\ue9s qui existent en ASS et qui font de
cette culture une alternative attrayante. Les r\ue9sultats de
l\u2019examen montrent que la culture a une large base
g\ue9n\ue9tique, ce qui permet d\u2019apporter des
am\ue9liorations significatives \ue0 un certain nombre de
caract\ue8res pr\ue9f\ue9r\ue9s. L\u2019examen d\ue9crit en
outre quatre mod\ue8les de production possibles pour le
d\ue9veloppement \ue9conomique de l\u2019industrie du sorgho
sucr\ue9 en Afrique subsaharienne\ua0; qui sont (i) la production
pour l\u2019approvisionnement des march\ue9s urbains de mastication,
(ii) la production de sirop, (iii) la production de biocarburants et
(iv) la production de fourrage. Les questions cl\ue9s \ue9mergeant
de la discussion sont les suivantes\ua0; la recherche actuelle se
concentre sur la production d\u2019\ue9thanol pour le biocarburant,
bien que ce soit une bonne priorit\ue9 pour la recherche, cela ne
devrait pas \ue9clipser d\u2019autres utilisations potentielles de
la culture telles que la production pour la mastication, le sirop et le
fourrage qui peuvent \ueatre la seule option pour la plupart des
agriculteurs d\u2019ASS. Beaucoup reste \ue0 faire sur le front de
la recherche avant que la production de biocarburants \ue0 partir de
sorgho sucr\ue9 puisse \ueatre rentable et techniquement
r\ue9alisable, en particulier pour les petits exploitants agricoles
dans la plupart des pays d\u2019ASS. Par cons\ue9quent, les futurs
efforts de s\ue9lection v\ue9g\ue9tale peuvent \ueatre
adapt\ue9s pour fournir des cultivars avec des traits particuliers
pour diverses utilisations finales
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