MARKET STRUCTURE AND INNOVATION INTENSITY IN AGRICULTURAL BIOTECH

Consolidations and spin-offs in the agricultural biotechnology industry and the growing links of multinational corporations with the food and feed industry have been the subject of considerable discussion among academics, policy makers, consumers, and farmers. Most of the research by academic and overnment institutions has focused on the reasons for consolidation. Little theoretical or empirical research has examined the impact of this consolidation. We adapt an endogenous growth model of industry structure and R&D to agricultural biotechnology and empirically estimate the model. These empirical estimates, the main focus of the paper, indicate that industry consolidation influences the amount and direction of research, which then feeds back to influence industry structure.Agribusiness, Marketing, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Integrating Visualization into the Modeling of Business Simulations

This article demonstrates the advantages of using visualization as part of the modeling process. Several examples are given to show how visualization can help developers to more completely understand the range of behaviors for their algorithms. Specifically, the Cobb Douglas function and Gold Pray demand system are examined using a tool that combines mathematical modeling with visualization capabilities

The Brazilian ethanol industry: an overview of its production, technology, location, land use, regulations, and futures prospects.

Brazilian ethanol has been used as biofuel since the 1970s, and currently is replacing approximately 40% of the gasoline that would be otherwise consumed in the country. Domestic demand for Brazilian ethanol is increasing as well as its exports since the biofuels are being promoted by governments around the world as an alternative to fossil fuel. In this context, the main objective of this paper is to do a descriptive and exploratory analysis of the Brazilian ethanol production system and the potential of biofuels in Brazil. We overview the recent developments in the ethanol industry with regard to ethanol technologies in Brazil (including new varieties, transgenic varieties, cellulosic technology), and the role of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) research in this area. We examine the government promoting policies and their impacts on land use such as the increase across time and space in sugar cane area planted in the states of São Paulo, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul (the main producers) and its consequences for other crops in these producing areas and for food security

Formation of asteroid pairs by rotational fission

Asteroid pairs sharing similar heliocentric orbits were found recently. Backward integrations of their orbits indicated that they separated gently with low relative velocities, but did not provide additional insight into their formation mechanism. A previously hypothesized rotational fission process4 may explain their formation - critical predictions are that the mass ratios are less than about 0.2 and, as the mass ratio approaches this upper limit, the spin period of the larger body becomes long. Here we report photometric observations of a sample of asteroid pairs revealing that primaries of pairs with mass ratios much less than 0.2 rotate rapidly, near their critical fission frequency. As the mass ratio approaches 0.2, the primary period grows long. This occurs as the total energy of the system approaches zero requiring the asteroid pair to extract an increasing fraction of energy from the primary's spin in order to escape. We do not find asteroid pairs with mass ratios larger than 0.2. Rotationally fissioned systems beyond this limit have insufficient energy to disrupt. We conclude that asteroid pairs are formed by the rotational fission of a parent asteroid into a proto-binary system which subsequently disrupts under its own internal system dynamics soon after formation.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, 1 table + Supplementary Informatio

Whole-mount in situ hybridization in the Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis representing a basal branch of lophotrochozoans

In order to broaden the comparative scope of evolutionary developmental biology and to refine our picture of animal macroevolution, it is necessary to establish new model organisms, especially from previously underrepresented groups, like the Lophotrochozoa. We have established the culture and protocols for molecular developmental biology in the rotifer species Brachionus plicatilis Müller (Rotifera, Monogononta). Rotifers are nonsegmented animals with enigmatic basal position within the lophotrochozoans and marked by several evolutionary novelties like the wheel organ (corona), the median eye, and the nonpaired posterior foot. The expression of Bp-Pax-6 is shown using whole-mount in situ hybridization. The inexpensive easy culture and experimental tractability of Brachionus as well as the range of interesting questions to which it holds the key make it a promising addition to the “zoo” of evo-devo model organisms

The three main monotheistic religions and gm food technology: an overview of perspectives

Abstract Background Public acceptance of genetically modified crops is partly rooted in religious views. However, the views of different religions and their potential influence on consumers' decisions have not been systematically examined and summarized in a brief overview. We review the positions of the Judaism, Islam and Christianity – the three major monotheistic religions to which more than 55% of humanity adheres to – on the controversies aroused by GM technology. Discussion The article establishes that there is no overarching consensus within the three religions. Overall, however, it appears that mainstream theology in all three religions increasingly tends towards acceptance of GM technology per se, on performing GM research, and on consumption of GM foods. These more liberal approaches, however, are predicated on there being rigorous scientific, ethical and regulatory scrutiny of research and development of such products, and that these products are properly labeled. Summary We conclude that there are several other interests competing with the influence exerted on consumers by religion. These include the media, environmental activists, scientists and the food industry, all of which function as sources of information and shapers of perception for consumers

Adr1 and Cat8 Mediate Coactivator Recruitment and Chromatin Remodeling at Glucose-Regulated Genes

Adr1 and Cat8 co-regulate numerous glucose-repressed genes in S. cerevisiae, presenting a unique opportunity to explore their individual roles in coactivator recruitment, chromatin remodeling, and transcription.We determined the individual contributions of Cat8 and Adr1 on the expression of a cohort of glucose-repressed genes and found three broad categories: genes that need both activators for full derepression, genes that rely mostly on Cat8 and genes that require only Adr1. Through combined expression and recruitment data, along with analysis of chromatin remodeling at two of these genes, ADH2 and FBP1, we clarified how these activators achieve this wide range of co-regulation. We find that Adr1 and Cat8 are not intrinsically different in their abilities to recruit coactivators but rather, promoter context appears to dictate which activator is responsible for recruitment to specific genes. These promoter-specific contributions are also apparent in the chromatin remodeling that accompanies derepression: ADH2 requires both Adr1 and Cat8, whereas, at FBP1, significant remodeling occurs with Cat8 alone. Although over-expression of Adr1 can compensate for loss of Cat8 at many genes in terms of both activation and chromatin remodeling, this over-expression cannot complement all of the cat8Delta phenotypes.Thus, at many of the glucose-repressed genes, Cat8 and Adr1 appear to have interchangeable roles and promoter architecture may dictate the roles of these activators

Structural Basis for Specific Binding of Human MPP8 Chromodomain to Histone H3 Methylated at Lysine 9

. MPP8 binding to methylated H3K9 is suggested to recruit the H3K9 methyltransferases GLP and ESET, and DNA methyltransferase 3A to the promoter of the E-cadherin gene, mediating the E-cadherin gene silencing and promote tumor cell motility and invasion. MPP8 contains a chromodomain in its N-terminus, which is used to bind the methylated H3K9. HP1, a chromodomain containing protein that binds to methylated H3K9 as well. The structure also reveals that the human MPP8 chromodomain forms homodimer, which is mediated via an unexpected domain swapping interaction through two β strands from the two protomer subunits.Our findings reveal the molecular mechanism of selective binding of human MPP8 chromodomain to methylated histone H3K9. The observation of human MPP8 chromodomain in both solution and crystal lattice may provide clues to study MPP8-mediated gene regulation furthermore