Policy-Induced Environmental Technology Transfer

We investigate how environmental and trade policies affect the transfer of environmental technology in a two-country model with global pollution. By comparing free trade and tariff policy without commitment, the following results are obtained. First, the existence of an environmental policy in a local country induces technology transfer from a foreign country. Second, there is a possibility that free trade is preferable to a tariff policy for both countries even though free trade lowers the environmental tax rate. Third, the quantity of the local firmfs product decreases for higher environmental damage. On the other hand, import of environmentally efficient goods from the foreign country increases.Environmental technology transfer; Free trade; Tariff protection

Environmental Technology Transfer via Free Trade

This paper considers a model of international duopoly with global pollution to investigate the impact of tariff policy and licensing contracts on environmental technology transfer. Our main finding is that free trade is not always preferable. When the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) is within a certain range, there is a possibility that the total world welfare is higher under a positive tariff rate than under a zero tariff rate. This implies that the protection of IPR being beyond the range is a prerequisite for the justification of free trade.Environmental technology transfer, Free trade, Tariff protection, Licensing

Environmental Technology Transfer via Free Trade

This paper considers a model of international duopoly with global pollution to investigate the impact of tariff policy and licensing contracts on environmental technology transfer. Our main finding is that free trade is not always preferable.When the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) is within a certain range, there is a possibility that the total world welfare is higher under a positive tariff rate than under a zero tariff rate. This implies that the protection of IPR beyond the range is a prerequisite for the justification of free trade.We also show how developing countries are induced to sign a licensing contract.Even if the licensing does not directly improve the competitiveness of the firm in the developing country, raising the tariff rate can increase the revenue of the country. In contrast, when there is no licensing agreement, the local government sets a lower tariff rate and diffuses the products of foreign firms,because the products of local firms are associated with pollution.Environmental technology transfer; Free trade; Tariff protection, Licensing

Characterization of the Bacteriocinogenic Lactic Acid Bacteria Lactobacillus curvatus Strain Y108 Isolated from Nozawana-Zuke Pickles

We characterized the antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus curvatus strain Y108 isolated from the traditional Japanese pickle Nozawana-zuke, and partially identified the antibacterial agent produced by the strain. The Y108 strain exhibited antibacterial activity against L. curvatus JCM 1096, Listeria monocytogenes JCM7671, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus JCM20624, and Serratia marcescens JCM20012. The antibacterial activity was abolished upon treatment with several proteases and lipase but not catalase, and it was moderately stable against heat treatment for 2 h at 100 degrees C. The Y108 strain showed higher antibacterial activity when grown at 20 degrees C than at 30 degrees C, which is its optimal growth temperature. SDS-PAGE analysis of the purified culture supernatant revealed the presence of two antibacterial peptide agents, F3-I and F3-II, with net molecular weights of 5.5 and 4.5 kDa, respectively. The IN-terminal amino acid sequences of F3-I and F3-II were homologous to those of lactocin 705 alpha and 705 beta, respectively. However, molecular masses and individual antibacterial activities of the two peptides were considerably different from those reported for lactocin 705.ArticleFOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH. 16(3):253-262 (2010)journal articl

Make and buy in a polluting industry

The literature paid significant attention to analyze the rationale for the make-or-buy strategy of firms. However, a related empirically relevant strategy of make-and-buy did not get much attention. We show that the presence of tax/subsidy policies, which are particularly important in the presence of environmental pollution , may create a rationale for the make-and-buy strategy of firms. Thus, we provide a new rationale for the make-and-buy strategy of firms which is different from the existing reasons, such as, uncertainty, market power of the input suppliers , moral hazard, and capacity utilization. We also discuss the implications of international harmonization and global welfare maximizing bi-sourcing

Role of proline residue in the channel-forming and catecholamine-releasing activities of the peptaibol, trichosporin-B-VIa

AbstractTrichosporin-B-VIa (TS-B-VIa) has a Pro14-kinked helical structure which is considered to be important for the formation of peptaibol-type ion-channels in lipid bilayer membranes. TS-B-VIa and its analog [Aid14]TS-B-VIa with Pro → Aib substitution at position 14, resulting in a straight helical structure, were tested for ion-channel-forming activity in planar lipid bilayer membranes and for ability to induce catecholamine secretion from cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Voltage-dependent multi-channel conductance, which is characteristic of TS-B-VIa, was also observed for [Aid14]TS-B-VIa. In single-channel measurements, current fluctuations induced by [Aid14]TS-B-VIa had a shorter life-time and showed fewer substates than those induced by TS-B-VIa. Catecholamine secretion induced by these peptides at low concentrations is completely Ca2+-dependent. At high concentrations, TS-B-VIa-induced secretion was partly independent of external Ca 2+, but this was not the case for the analog. The differences of behavior can be explained in terms of the differences of hydrophobicity, amphiphilicity, and magnitude of dipole moment due to the conformational changes around position 14 and the C-terminal domain caused by the Pro → Aib substitution