Evaluating the Economic Impact of Countervailing Duties on United States Warm Water Shrimp Imports

Estimates of price and scale elasticities for U.S. consumed shrimp are derived using aggregate source country shrimp import data. It was assumed that supply was perfectly elastic and U.S. wholesalers determine the quantities imported from individual countries given the prices and preferences of U.S. consumers. Ex-ante analysis suggests that most countries levied with the countervailing duty experience declines in U.S. import demand while those countries not affected by the countervailing duty experience increases in import demand. Ex-post analysis shows the reverse to be true. Several countries impacted by the countervailing duty had increased import demand from the United States while Mexico, which was not affected by the countervailing duty, had decreased import demand. The results from aggregate level data suggest that imposing duties on specific companies within a country may not be effective if that company is not a monopoly producer or controls a significant share of the shrimp produced in that country.International Relations/Trade,

U.S. Demand for Source–Differentiated Shrimp: A Differential Approach

Estimates of price and scale elasticities for U.S. consumed shrimp are derived using aggregate shrimp data differentiated by source country. Own-price elasticities for all countries had the expected negative signs, were statistically significant, and inelastic. The scale elasticities for all countries were positive and statistically significant at the 1% level with only the United States and Ecuador having scale elasticities of less than one. For the most part, the compensated demand effects showed that most of the cross-price effects were positive. Our results also suggest that despite the countervailing duties imposed by the United States, shrimp demand was fairly stable.CBS, conditional demand, countervailing duty, imports, scale elasticity, shrimp, Agribusiness, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Production Economics, C32, D12, Q13, Q22,

When The Dewdrop Tells It\u27s Story To the Rose

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/2715/thumbnail.jp

Surveillance of Smokeless Tobacco Products Sold in Massachusetts (1997-2010)

Background: Moist snuff and snus are smokeless tobacco products that are marketed toward smokers for use at times smoking is prohibited. Little information is available about the nicotine content and design features of these products, particularly snus. Methods: Data on free nicotine levels and design features (pH, total nicotine content, tobacco leaf cut and flavor) of smokeless tobacco products were obtained from manufactures’ annual reports to Massachusetts Department of Public Health between 1997 and 2010. Descriptive statistics were provided overall, and by manufacturer and product type. Results: Mean level of free nicotine in moist snuff remained relatively constant within the range of 3 to 5 mg/g between 1997 and 2010, although this varies by manufacturer, brand, and design characteristics. Mean free nicotine was higher in snus than in moist snuff and increased over time. Average free nicotine content of Swedish Match snus increased sharply since 2003 and reached \u3e6 mg/g in 2010 while that of American brands of snus decreased from 2.9 mg/g in 2001 to 1.7 mg/g in 2010. Swedish Match snus had significantly higher pH than American brands of snus and moist snuff, and experienced a sharp increase from 7.3 in 2003 to 8.3 in 2010. Wide variations in nicotine and pH levels were present among manufacturers. Free nicotine level was associated with pH level of both snus and moist snuff products, and with tobacco leaf-cut for moist snuff. The number of sub-brands of both snus and moist snuff products increased during the study period. Conclusion: There was notable increasing trend in free nicotine concentration in Swedish Match snus that are marketed to US consumers. The increase in number sub-brands suggests greater marketing efforts by the manufacturers in recent years. Continued surveillance of smokeless tobacco products in MA is an important component of the State’s control effort

Assessing Impacts of OCS Activities on Public Infrastructure, Services, and Population in Coastal Communities Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

A report examining the Impacts of OCS activities on public infrastructure, services, and population in coastal communities in the aftermaths of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

A True Stories Campaign Uniformly Increased Awareness of State-Assisted Smoking Cessation Programs in Massachusetts

Background: Media campaigns increase awareness of public health programs that assist smoking cessation (e.g. telephone quitline and insurance benefits). The True Stories Campaign launched in Massachusetts (MA) from Nov-Dec 2006 promoted the use of the telephone quitline and a new Medicaid insurance benefit that provided low-cost cessation treatment as part of Health Care Reform. Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness of the True Stories Campaign on awareness of 1) the state telephone quitline and 2) the Mass Health smoking cessation benefit among the target population and by select demographic characteristics. Methods & Analyses: MA adults age 18-98 were surveyed at baseline (n=3,000) and 2 months later (post-campaign, n=3,000). Awareness of the quitline and MassHealth benefit prior to and post-campaign were estimated and compared using proportion tests and logistic regression models. Results:Awareness of the quitline increased from 26.6% at baseline to 52.5% after the campaign (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.1, p Conclusions: The brief media campaign increased awareness of the state telephone quitline and the insurance benefit in the target population. It was effective across several demographic groups, suggesting the applicability to the general adult population and potential cost-effectiveness of a larger campaign

A 12 GHz satellite video receiver: Low noise, low cost prototype model for TV reception from broadcast satellites

A 12-channel synchronous phase lock video receiver consisting of an outdoor downconverter unit and an indoor demodulator unit was developed to provide both low noise performance and low cost in production quantities of 1000 units. The prototype receiver can be mass produced at a cost under $1540 without sacrificing system performance. The receiver also has the capability of selecting any of the twelve assigned satellite broadcast channels in the frequency range 11.7 to 12.2 GHz

Transfusion-Associated Babesiosis after Heart Transplant

We describe a 54-year-old spleen-intact man with transfusion-associated Babesia microti infection after a heart transplant. Adult respiratory distress syndrome developed in the patient, and he required mechanical ventilation. Our experiences with this patient suggest that babesiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of transplant patients who have fever and hemolytic anemia