Derby Fisheries, Individual Quotas, and Transition in the Fish Processing Industry

Processors adapt to the pulse of landings in derby fisheries by investing in large-scale facilities capable of preserving and storing fish products. In fisheries where the pulse of landings suppresses the ability of processors to meet consumer demand for fresh product, the imposition of individual quota (IQ) systems transforms the associated fish processing industry. The cost of fresh fish processing is generally lower and more malleable than that for preserved fish, and consumers may pay a price premium for fresh product, which creates an opportunity for entry by fresh-fish processors and results in higher equilibrium ex-vessel prices. Incumbent firms are likely to experience an economic dislocation due to a diminished value of nonmalleable capital used to preserve and store fish products. Our paper generalizes and provides a modeling framework for the observed changes in the British Columbian halibut harvester/processor industry complex following the introduction of an IQ system.Derby fishery, individual quotas, pulse of landings, fish processing, fresh fish, preserved fish, product forms, ex-vessel price, wholesale fish price, processing capital, malleability, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q13, Q22,

A Cost Comparison of Treatments of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis

This study of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of moderate to severe psoriasis treatments compared phototherapy, oral systemic agents, and biologics from a managed health care systems perspective. A literature review was conducted to identify published studies reporting Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) percentage improvement from baseline (PASI%) for selected treatments. The researchers then calculated total annualized costs. For each treatment, annualized cost-effectiveness was calculated by dividing total annualized costs of treatment by PASI%. The costs necessary to achieve clinically meaningful outcomes (PASI50 and PASI75) were then calculated. Of 3886 articles examined, 16 studies met inclusion criteria. Oral systemic medications, UV therapy, and UV therapy combined with acitretin appear to be the most cost-effective therapies for moderate to severe psoriasis

Casimir micro-sphere diclusters and three-body effects in fluids

Our previous article [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 060401 (2010)] predicted that Casimir forces induced by the material-dispersion properties of certain dielectrics can give rise to stable configurations of objects. This phenomenon was illustrated via a dicluster configuration of non-touching objects consisting of two spheres immersed in a fluid and suspended against gravity above a plate. Here, we examine these predictions from the perspective of a practical experiment and consider the influence of non-additive, three-body, and nonzero-temperature effects on the stability of the two spheres. We conclude that the presence of Brownian motion reduces the set of experimentally realizable silicon/teflon spherical diclusters to those consisting of layered micro-spheres, such as the hollow- core (spherical shells) considered here.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure

ITS-NANO - Prioritising nanosafety research to develop a stakeholder driven intelligent testing strategy

Background To assess the risk of all nanomaterials (NMs) on a case-by-case basis is challenging in terms of financial, ethical and time resources. Instead a more intelligent approach to knowledge gain and risk assessment is required. Methods A framework of future research priorities was developed from the accorded opinion of experts covering all major stake holder groups (government, industry, academia, funders and NGOs). It recognises and stresses the major topics of physicochemical characterisation, exposure identification, hazard identification and modelling approaches as key components of the current and future risk assessment of NMs. Results The framework for future research has been developed from the opinions of over 80 stakeholders, that describes the research priorities for effective development of an intelligent testing strategy (ITS) to allow risk evaluation of NMs. In this context, an ITS is a process that allows the risks of NMs to be assessed accurately, effectively and efficiently, thereby reducing the need to test NMs on a case-by-case basis. For each of the major topics of physicochemical characterisation, exposure identification, hazard identification and modelling, key-priority research areas are described via a series of stepping stones, or hexagon diagrams structured into a time perspective. Importantly, this framework is flexible, allowing individual stakeholders to identify where their own activities and expertise are positioned within the prioritisation pathway and furthermore to identify how they can effectively contribute and structure their work accordingly. In other words, the prioritisation hexagon diagrams provide a tool that individual stakeholders can adapt to meet their own particular needs and to deliver an ITS for NMs risk assessment. Such an approach would, over time, reduce the need for testing by increasing the reliability and sophistication of in silico approaches. The manuscript includes an appraisal of how this framework relates to the current risk assessment approaches and how future risk assessment could adapt to accommodate these new approaches. A full report is available in electronic format (pdf) at http://www.nano.hw.ac.uk/research-projects/itsnano.html webcite. Conclusion ITS-NANO has delivered a detailed, stakeholder driven and flexible research prioritisation (or strategy) tool, which identifies specific research needs, suggests connections between areas, and frames this in a time-perspective

A multi-decade record of high quality fCO2 data in version 3 of the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT)

The Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) is a synthesis of quality-controlled fCO2 (fugacity of carbon dioxide) values for the global surface oceans and coastal seas with regular updates. Version 3 of SOCAT has 14.7 million fCO2 values from 3646 data sets covering the years 1957 to 2014. This latest version has an additional 4.6 million fCO2 values relative to version 2 and extends the record from 2011 to 2014. Version 3 also significantly increases the data availability for 2005 to 2013. SOCAT has an average of approximately 1.2 million surface water fCO2 values per year for the years 2006 to 2012. Quality and documentation of the data has improved. A new feature is the data set quality control (QC) flag of E for data from alternative sensors and platforms. The accuracy of surface water fCO2 has been defined for all data set QC flags. Automated range checking has been carried out for all data sets during their upload into SOCAT. The upgrade of the interactive Data Set Viewer (previously known as the Cruise Data Viewer) allows better interrogation of the SOCAT data collection and rapid creation of high-quality figures for scientific presentations. Automated data upload has been launched for version 4 and will enable more frequent SOCAT releases in the future. High-profile scientific applications of SOCAT include quantification of the ocean sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide and its long-term variation, detection of ocean acidification, as well as evaluation of coupled-climate and ocean-only biogeochemical models. Users of SOCAT data products are urged to acknowledge the contribution of data providers, as stated in the SOCAT Fair Data Use Statement. This ESSD (Earth System Science Data) “living data” publication documents the methods and data sets used for the assembly of this new version of the SOCAT data collection and compares these with those used for earlier versions of the data collection (Pfeil et al., 2013; Sabine et al., 2013; Bakker et al., 2014). Individual data set files, included in the synthesis product, can be downloaded here: doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.849770. The gridded products are available here: doi:10.3334/CDIAC/OTG.SOCAT_V3_GRID