VARIETAL SALES AND QUALITY DIFFERENTIATION: THE CASE OF CERTIFIED SOYBEAN SEED IN THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S.

Variation in annual soybean plantings contributes to uncertainty in supplies of and demand for soybean seed in the southeastern U.S. This study used an expenditure valuation approach in an hedonic analysis framework to estimate returns to soybean seed quality differentiation. Analysis of pooled cross-sectional and time series observations narrowed important quality characteristics to yield and disease resistance attributes. In general, unexpected environmental factors affect seed crops over time, and the demand for other performance attributes is less predictable than for expected yield attributes. The results also suggest that geographical location is not significantly related to sales of varietal soybean seed in the study area.Crop Production/Industries,

Improved laboratory gradiometer can be a field survey instrument

Improvements made to quartz gradiometer minimize or eliminate disturbing effects from known error sources and permit sensitivity of + or - 1 times 10 to the minus 9th power/sec sq or better and measuring accuracy of + or - 5 times 10 to the minus 9th power/sec sq

HOW DOES COTTONSEED MEAL COMPARE AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCE TO SOYBEAN MEAL IN POULTRY PRODUCTION?

Profitability of substituting cottonseed meal (CSM) for soybean meal (SBM) in broiler feed is evaluated using a model that optimizes broiler production under changing market conditions. While CSM-fed broilers may earn higher profits for whole carcass, SBM-fed broilers are generally more profitable. Optimal protein levels exceed currently recommended levels.Livestock Production/Industries,

PARTS OR WHOLE? EFFICIENT BROILER PRODUCTION RESPONSES TO CONSUMER-DRIVEN MARKETS

Adoption of consumer-market-oriented production on broiler profit-maximizing modeling generates results that differ from those traditionally used in profit maximization for broiler production. This model shows that the adoption of step-pricing and marketing options (examples of consumer-market-oriented decisions) modify the optimal levels and types of broiler production to generate maximum profitability. Thus optimal protein levels in the feed formulated exceed currently recommended levels and alternative protein sources are also allocated. The adoption of step-pricing to respond to consumer-market-oriented decisions shows that higher profits can be obtained for targeted weights only if premium prices for output are allocated.Agribusiness, Consumer/Household Economics,

PRODUCTION AND PROFITABILITY RESPONSES TO ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES AND LEVELS IN BROILER RATIONS

Profitability of using alternative protein sources in broiler feed is investigated through the development of a two-stage mathematical program that optimizes broiler production. A case study of peanut meal vs. soybean meal is examined. Value of marginal product concepts incorporated in this method permit analysis of demand adjustments before decisions on the production process occur. Given reported input and output prices, results indicate that soybean meal is generally more profitable than peanut meal. Peanut meal can be more profitable at higher dietary protein levels fed to broilers processed into whole carcass or at relatively higher prices for soybean meal.maximum profit, peanut meal, soybean meal, value of marginal product, Livestock Production/Industries, Q17,

INCORPORATING CONSUMER DEMAND IN BROILER PROFIT-MAXIMIZATION MODELING

Increased emphasis on consumer markets in broiler profit-maximizing modeling generates results that differ from those of traditional profit-maximization models. This approach reveals that the adoption of step-pricing and consideration of marketing options (examples of responsiveness to consumers) affect the optimal feed-formulation levels and types of broiler production to generate maximum profitability. With the adoption of step-pricing, higher profits can be obtained for targeted weights only if premium prices for broiler products are contracted.Consumer/Household Economics,

PRODUCTION AND PROFITABILITY RESPONSES TO ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES IN BROILER RATIONS

Profitability of using peanut meal as an alternative protein source in broiler production was investigated through the development of a two-stage mathematical program that optimizes broiler production. The concept of value of marginal product incorporated in this model allows demand adjustments before decisions on the production and processing take place.Livestock Production/Industries,

Ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy on a thin permalloy film

Ferromagnetic Resonance Force Microscopy (FMRFM) offers a means of performing local ferromagnetic resonance. We have studied the evolution of the FMRFM force spectra in a continuous 50 nm thick permalloy film as a function of probe-film distance and performed numerical simulations of the intensity of the FMRFM probe-film interaction force, accounting for the presence of the localized strongly nonuniform magnetic field of the FMRFM probe magnet. Excellent agreement between the experimental data and the simulation results provides insight into the mechanism of FMR mode excitation in an FMRFM experiment.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Unlocking Structure-Self-Assembly Relationships in Cationic Azobenzene Photosurfactants.

Azobenzene photosurfactants are light-responsive amphiphiles that have garnered significant attention for diverse applications including delivery and sorting systems, phase transfer catalysis, and foam drainage. The azobenzene chromophore changes both its polarity and conformation (trans-cis isomerization) in response to UV light, while the amphiphilic structure drives self-assembly. Detailed understanding of the inherent relationship between the molecular structure, physicochemical behavior, and micellar arrangement of azobenzene photosurfactants is critical to their usefulness. Here, we investigate the key structure-function-assembly relationships in the popular cationic alkylazobenzene trimethylammonium bromide (AzoTAB) family of photosurfactants. We show that subtle changes in the surfactant structure (alkyl tail, spacer length) can lead to large variations in the critical micelle concentration, particularly in response to light, as determined by surface tensiometry and dynamic light scattering. Small-angle neutron scattering studies also reveal the formation of more diverse micellar aggregate structures (ellipsoids, cylinders, spheres) than predicted based on simple packing parameters. The results suggest that whereas the azobenzene core resides in the effective hydrophobic segment in the trans-isomer, it forms part of the effective hydrophilic segment in the cis-isomer because of the dramatic conformational and polarity changes induced by photoisomerization. The extent of this shift in the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance is determined by the separation between the azobenzene core and the polar head group in the molecular structure. Our findings show that judicious design of the AzoTAB structure enables selective tailoring of the surfactant properties in response to light, such that they can be exploited and controlled in a reliable fashion

New axially symmetric Yang-Mills-Higgs solutions with negative cosmological constant

We construct numerically new axially symmetric solutions of SU(2) Yang-Mills-Higgs theory in $(3+1)$ anti-de Sitter spacetime. Two types of finite energy, regular configurations are considered: multimonopole solutions with magnetic charge $n>1$ and monopole-antimonopole pairs with zero net magnetic charge. A somewhat detailed analysis of the boundary conditions for axially symmetric solutions is presented. The properties of these solutions are investigated, with a view to compare with those on a flat spacetime background. The basic properties of the gravitating generalizations of these configurations are also discussed.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures; v2: typos correcte