Implications of new technologies for future food supply systems

The combination of advances in knowledge, technology, changes in consumer preference and low cost of manufacturing is accelerating the next technology revolution in crop, livestock and fish production systems. This will have major implications for how, where and by whom food will be produced in the future. This next technology revolution could benefit the producer through substantial improvements in resource use and profitability, but also the environment through reduced externalities. The consumer will ultimately benefit through more nutritious, safe and affordable food diversity, which in turn will also contribute to the acceleration of the next technology. It will create new opportunities in achieving progress towards many of the Sustainable Development Goals, but it will require early recognition of trends and impact, public research and policy guidance to avoid negative trade-offs. Unfortunately, the quantitative predictability of future impacts will remain low and uncertain, while new chocks with unexpected consequences will continue to interrupt current and future outcomes. However, there is a continuing need for improving the predictability of shocks to future food systems especially for ex-ante assessment for policy and planning

Collapse risk and residual drift performance of steel buildings using post-tensioned MRFs and viscous dampers in near-fault regions

The potential of post-tensioned self-centering moment-resisting frames (SC-MRFs) and viscous dampers to reduce the collapse risk and improve the residual drift performance of steel buildings in near-fault regions is evaluated. For this purpose, a prototype steel building is designed using different seismic-resistant frames, i.e.: moment-resisting frames (MRFs); MRFs with viscous dampers; SC-MRFs; and SC-MRFs with viscous dampers. The frames are modeled in OpenSees where material and geometrical nonlinearities are taken into account as well as stiffness and strength deterioration. A database of 91 near-fault, pulse-like ground motions with varying pulse periods is used to conduct incremental dynamic analysis (IDA), in which each ground motion is scaled until collapse occurs. The probability of collapse and the probability of exceeding different residual story drift threshold values are calculated as a function of the ground motion intensity and the period of the velocity pulse. The results of IDA are then combined with probabilistic seismic hazard analysis models that account for near-fault directivity to assess and compare the collapse risk and the residual drift performance of the frames. The paper highlights the benefit of combining the post-tensioning and supplemental viscous damping technologies in the near-source. In particular, the SC-MRF with viscous dampers is found to achieve significant reductions in collapse risk and probability of exceedance of residual story drift threshold values compared to the MRF. © 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrech

Ethical framework of assistive devices: review and reflection

The population of ageing is growing significantly over the world, and there is an emerging demand for better healthcare services and more care centres. Innovations of Information and Communication Technology has resulted in development of various types of assistive robots to fulfil elderly’s needs and independency, whilst carrying out daily routine tasks. This makes it vital to have a clear understanding of elderly’s needs and expectations from assistive robots. This paper addresses current ethical issues to understand elderly’s prime needs. Also, we consider other general ethics with the purpose of applying these theories to form a proper ethics framework. In the ethics framework, the ethical concerns of senior citizens will be prioritized to satisfy elderly’s needs and also to diminish related expenses to healthcare services

Technical Appraisal of the 1960 Sample Survey Estimates of Farm Debt

In the late fall and winter of 1960-61, the Bureau of the Census made a survey of farm debt as part of Its 1960 Sample Survey of Agriculture. This was the first national survey of virtually all types of farm debt ever made in the United States (Alaska and Hawaii were not included). It produced a wealth of information never before available on the distribution of farm debt among the operators and landlords of the various sizes, types, and economic classes of farms. It disclosed the relationships between farm debts of operators and landlords, the farm incomes they received, and the value of the land they owned. Five reports on the results of this survey have been published and several more reports are planned. In this report we attempt to appraise the data on farm debts obtained in the survey. An appraisal is needed to serve as a basis for improving future debt survey techniques. Moreover, it may be useful to those who are preparing, or to those who are reading reports on the survey. Our appraisal indicates that estimates of the farm debt based solely on the survey data result in understatements of the farm debt. Therefore, we include in this report estimates of the farm debt which we have made on the basis of all information available, including the survey data

Revised Estimates of Non-Real-Estate Farm Debt Owed to Nonreporting Creditors, and of Total Non-Real- Estate Farm Debt, 1949-64

Excerpts from the report: At the beginning of 1964, farm operators and landlords owed $16.2 billion in loans not secured by farm real estate. Over 40 percent of this amount was owed to merchants, dealers, and other creditors who do not report to regulatory agencies the amount of the loans they hold. These debts totaled$6.7 billion on January 1, 1964, according to revised estimates--$2. 2 billion above the earlier estimate. These revised estimates, covering the period 1949-64, were based on benchmark estimates of farm debt for January 1, 1961. The benchmark estimates were prepared by the authors following the 1960 Sample Survey of Agriculture by the Bureau of the Census, and were included in an earlier report. The 1960 Sample Survey of Agriculture provided the first data ever available on a nationwide basis on the non-real-estate farm debt held by these nonreporting lenders. Through careful analysis of these data, in conjunction with census and agency data for the reporting lenders, we developed the benchmark estimates of farm debt and its components reported in ERS-167. As will be shown, the benchmark estimate for nonreporting creditors seemed to be in reasonable relationship to earlier estimates for the years 1940-57, but necessitated substantial revision of estimates for the years 1958-64