ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT IN WHEAT

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), commonly known as scab, has been a severe problem for wheat producers in recent years. This study estimates the economic value of crop losses suffered by wheat producers in the 1990s. Nine states and three wheat classes are included in the analysis, which considers the effects of scab on both production and average prices received. The cumulative value of losses (1991-97) in scab-affected regions is estimated at $1.3 billion. Two states, North Dakota and Minnesota, account for over two-thirds of these dollar losses.Fusarium Head Blight, scab, crop losses, wheat, Production Economics,

A Test of Asset-Pricing Models at the Nairobi Securities Exchange

The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) has for a long time been used to explain the variations in expected return on stocks. However, the discoveries of market anomalies such as the Size, Book-to-Market and the Momentum effects, have greatly undermined CAPM’s ability to explain the expected returns on stocks. These anomalies prompted Fama and French (1993) and Carhart (1997) to propound asset pricing models that captured the effects of these anomalies. This study sought to test whether the CAPM, Fama and French (1993) Three-factor model and the Carhart’s (1997) Four-factor model can explain the returns of stocks traded in the NSE, from a portfolio perspective. The stock returns used in this study were those for the forty eight companies that trade under the MIMS in the NSE, during the period January 2009 to December 2013. Six portfolios that were sorted for size and Book-to-Market were created and used to test the CAPM as well as the Fama and French (1993) Three-factor model. Also, an additional six portfolios that were sorted for size and past performance were constructed to test the Carhart’s (1997) Four-factor model. The data was then analyzed using time series regression analysis and the estimated parameters were tested for significance. This study finds that even though the CAPM has been highly regarded for many years, when tested at the NSE from a portfolios perspective, the evidence in support of it is weak. This study finds that other significant factors exists that were not captured by CAPM, implying therefore that beta is not an adequate measure of risk. Also, as for the Fama and French (1993) Three-factor model, this study finds that it doesn’t quite capture all the factors influencing the returns of stocks traded at the NSE. However, this study finds that the Carhart’s (1997) Four-factor model performs better relative to the CAPM and the Fama and French (1993) Three-factor model, as it was observed to have a better explanatory power of the variation of expected returns of most of the sets of portfolios that it was tested on. The findings of this study will be of great significance to the finance academia and policy makers as it will assist in boosting their understanding of an asset-pricing model that can explain better, the variations in returns of stocks traded at the security exchange. Keywords: Asset pricing Models, NSE, Keny

Destructive Hostility: The Jeffrey Dahmer Case: A Psychiatric and Forensic Study of a Serial Killer

We were involved as forensic experts in the case of the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. We discuss the scene and victim autopsy findings, with a brief consideration of the basic emotion of hostility. These findings support the thesis that at the basis of this serial killer\u27s behavior were primary unconscious feelings of hate that he had channeled into a sadistic programmed destruction of 17 young men. The interview of the serial killer, the photographic scene documentation, and the autopsy findings stress the ambivalent homosexuality of the killer, his sexual sadism, his obsessive fetishism, and his possible cannibalism and necrophilia

SHORTFALLS IN 1997 NET FARM INCOME IN NORTH DAKOTA (Prepared for Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad)

North Dakota net farm income declined in 1997 due to adverse weather conditions and low prices. The total income loss in 1997 was estimated to be $394 million, which was divided into$290 million due to weather and diseases, and $104 million due to lower-than-average prices. Net farm income losses were largest in Region 3 (Northeast), followed by Regions 1 (Northwest) and 6 (East Central). HRS wheat accounted for the largest income loss, followed by durum and barley.Net farm income, crop losses, weather conditions, North Dakota input output model, Agricultural Finance,

New Development in Hydrogen Perm Selective Membranes

The objectives of the original project was to develop silica hydrogen permselective membranes and evaluate the economic feasibility of these membranes in hydrogen production from coal gas. The objectives of the work reported here were to increase the membrane permeance by developing new precursors or deposition conditions, and to carry out fundamental permeability measurements of the membrane at different stages of pore narrowing

First record of Pyramodon lindas (Markle and Olney, 1990) (Ophidiforms: Carapidae) from Indian Seas

Background: The present report is the first record of the Pyramodon lindas (Markle and Olney, Bull Mar Sci 47: 269-410, 1990) from India waters. A specimen of Pyramodon lindas measuring 483 mm total length was obtained from Tuticorin of Gulf of Mannar which is the largest specimen of so far recorded. Results: The Pyramodon lindas measured 483 mm in TL, 85 mm in Head length, 18.1 mm in snout length. Body elongate, compressed to round and eel like, supramaxilla absent, anal fin origin advanced. The specimen was deposited in the National Biodiversity Museum at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi (GB.28.3.3.1) Detailed mophometric and meristic characters described and discussed. Conclusion: The Pyramodon lindas reported in the present study makes the total species reported from India as four in family Carapidae. The other reports were Carapus homei (Richardson, 1846), Pyramodon punctatum (Regan, 1914), Carapus margaritiferae (Rendahl, 1921) Brotula multibarbata Temmink & Schlegel, 1846 Antennarius hispidus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

The average X-ray/gamma-ray spectrum of radio-quiet Seyfert 1s

We have obtained the average 1--500 keV spectrum of radio-quiet Seyfert 1s using data from EXOSAT, Ginga, HEAO, and GRO/OSSE. The spectral fit to the combined average EXOSAT and OSSE data is fully consistent with that for Ginga and OSSE, confirming results from an earlier Ginga/OSSE sample. The average spectrum is well-fitted by a power-law X-ray continuum with an energy spectral index of $\alpha \simeq 0.9$ moderately absorbed by an ionized medium and with a Compton reflection component. A high-energy cutoff (or a break) in the the power-law component at a few hundred keV or more is required by the data. We also show that the corresponding average spectrum from HEAO A1 and A4 is fully compatible with that obtained from EXOSAT, Ginga and OSSE. These results confirm that the apparent discrepancy between the results of Ginga (with $\alpha \simeq 0.9$) and the previous results of EXOSAT and HEAO (with $\alpha \simeq 0.7$) is indeed due to ionized absorption and Compton reflection first taken into account for Ginga but not for the previous missions. Also, our results confirm that the Seyfert-1 spectra are on average cut off in gamma-rays at energies of at least a few hundred keV, not at $\sim 40$ keV (as suggested earlier by OSSE data alone). The average spectrum is compatible with emission from either an optically-thin relativistic thermal plasma in a disk corona, or with a nonthermal plasma with a power-law injection of relativistic electrons.Comment: 7 pages, 3 Postscript figures, MNRAS accepte

List of titles Marine Fisheries Information Service, Technical and Extension Series No.1-50

Marine Fisheries Information Service, Technical and Extension Series No.1-5

Differential induction of chitinase in Piper colubrinum in response to inoculation with Phytophthora capsici, the cause of foot rot in black pepper

AbstractPlant chitinases have been of particular interest since they are known to be induced upon pathogen invasion. Inoculation of Piper colubrinum leaves with the foot rot fungus, Phytophthora capsici leads to increase in chitinase activity. A marked increase in chitinase activity in the inoculated leaves was observed, with the maximum activity after 60h of inoculation and gradually decreased thereafter. Older leaves showed more chitinase activity than young leaves. The level of chitinase in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) upon inoculation was found to be substantially high when compared to P. colubrinum. RT–PCR using chitinase specific primers revealed differential accumulation of mRNA in P. colubrinum leaves inoculated with P. capsici. However, hyphal extension assays revealed no obvious differences in the ability of the protein extracts to inhibit growth of P. capsici in vitro

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF GRACILARIA

Objective: In the present investigation an attempt was made to examine the anti-inflammatory potential of aqueous extracts of Gracilaria salicornia C. Ag., Gracilaria edulis (Gmelin) Silva, Gracilaria corticata J. Ag., Gracilaria fergusonii J. Ag.,and Gracilaria verrucosa (Hudson) Papenfus from Mandapam, Gracilaria edulis (Gmelin) Silva., Gracilaria verrucosa (Hudson) Papenfus from Pulicate Lake, Gracilaria fergusonii J. Ag., Gracilaria corticata J. Ag. and Gracilaria corticata J. Ag. var. cylindrica from Tuticorin using heat induced haemolysis of RBC. In addition, the present study is focused to reveal the locality specific anti-inflammatory activities of selected Gracillaria species.Methods: The fresh seaweeds were boiled with distilled water (1:20 W/V) for 2 h. The slurry was filtered through Whatman No. 41 filter paper and condensed. The semi-solid crude extracts were used for anti-inflammatory analysis.Results: An aqueous extracts of studied Gracilaria species were effective in inhibiting the heat induced haemolysis at different concentrations. The results showed the dose dependent protection. The percentage of anti-inflammatory activity of studied Gracillaria was varied from 43.81 to 95.55. The highest percentage (95.55%) of activity was observed in 250 µg/ml of G. edulis aqueous extracts. The anti-inflammatory activity of studied Gracillaria species at 250 µg/ml were as follows G. edulis (Mandabam)>G. corticata (Mandabam)>G. verucosa (Mandabam)>G. salicornia (Mandabam)>G. ferugosonii (Tuticorin)>G. ferugosonii (Mandabam)>G. edulis (Pulicate)>G. corticata (Tuticorin)>G. verucosa (Pulicate)>G. corticata var. cylindrica (Tuticorin).Conclusion: The results of the present study clearly explained the anti-inflammatory potential of the studied Gracillaria species. The aqueous 0extracts of Gracillaria collected from Mandapam showed the highest percentage of protection activity. This study results confirm the existence of active principle responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity. Further studies are required to isolate the active principles without any side effects