Intellectual Property Rights in China: The Changing Politcal Economy of Chinese-American Interests

We review the evolution of modern Chinese intellectual property right (IPR) laws and enforcement and explore economic and political forces involved in international conflicts over Chinese IPR protection. Our analysis considers why the U.S. and China moved from conflict to cooperation over intellectual property rights. Structural and institutional aspects of the political economy of IPRs within each country are considered, and data on Chinese-U.S. trade in intellectual property-intensive goods are examined. We conclude that although enforcement of IPRs within China continues to be relatively weak, Chinese IPR institutions are converging on those in the OECD nations.

A database for the industrial trawl fishery of Cote d'Ivoire

Fishery statistics for the industrial trawl fishery of Cote d'Ivoire have been well documented since 1968. However, data processing has changed significantly with time and some of the data files have been lost. In 1997, the Centre de Recherches Oceanologiques d'Abidjan decided to retrieve and process all trawl data available from different sources. This paper gives an overview of the database covering the period 1968 to 1997 and describes its coverage, format, structure and use. The database was developed using MS ACCESS and is a powerful tool for storing information about this fishery, and for analysis of its dynamics over a period of 30 years

Have Developing Countries Gained From the Marriage Between Trade Agreements and Intellectual Property Rights?

Have developing countries gained from the incorporation of IPR standards into the WTO framework? We use historical, theoretical, and empirical methods to answer this question and reach several conclusions. First, U.S. history provides a clear case of a developing country which used strong patent rights and weak copyrights in the 19th century to enhance its growth prospects. Second, recent theoretical literature presents a strong case for welfare gains to developing countries from patent harmonization if developed countries pay lump-sums to offset higher royalty payments by developing countries. Third, the creation of intellectual property in new types of inventions is necessary, but the scope, depth, and enforcement of IPRs is likely to differ across countries according to their economic and political institutions, their per capita income, and their capability to engage in and disseminate the fruits of R&D.

Physicochemical characteristics of kernel during fruit maturation of four coconut cultivars (Cocos nucifera L.)

Physicochemical characteristics of kernels from four cultivars of coconut were studied with the aim of increasing the value of coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.), the main income of most equatorial coastal farmers. Studies were undertaken on West African Tall (WAT), Malaysian Yellow Dwarf (MYD), Equatorial Guinea Green Dwarf (EGD) and the improved PB121 hybrid, PB121+. Analyses were concerned with kernel weight, thickness, dry matter, oil, proteins and soluble sugars content at six stages (ranks) of nuts maturity. Chromatographic profiles of fatty acids of extracted oils were also determined. The results showed positive interaction between cultivar and maturity stage for all examined parameters. Then, PB121+ nuts, without kernel at the beginning of maturation, had the greatest weight (358.7 g) at rank 26. Kernel thickness was maximum (13.28 mm) in WAT at rank 26 due to nuts complete maturity. Oil content increased until the highest value of 73.01% in WAT at rank 23 before decreasing. Total soluble sugars, essentially non-reducing sugars, were maximum (9.09 g/100 g) in MYD fruits at rank 26. The fatty acids profiles showed an increasing proportion of lauric acid during nuts maturation. These results indicated the possibility of specific utilisations of coconut kernels according to cultivar and maturity stage

Les acadjas traditionnels dans le sud-est du Bénin

This study mission on acadja, the traditional way of fishing in the lagoons of the South-East part of Benin, permits us to understand how well-established this fishing practice is, in terms of time and spatial extention. The exploitation of acadja has a great profitability but it also represents the source of some problems as deterioration of branches, deforestation and social conflits. However, when acadjas are rationally exploited, they constitute a hope for waters which are in the process of losing their biological richness

A Unified Treatment of Horizontal Direct Investment, Vertical Direct Investment, and the Pattern of Trade in Goods and Services

This paper contributes to research endogenizing multinational firms in general-equilibrium trade models. We attempt to integrate separate contributions on horizontal multinationals which produce the same final product in multiple locations, with work on vertical multinationals, which geographically fragment production by stages. Previously derived results now emerge as special cases of a more general model. Vertical multinationals dominate when countries are very different in relative factor endowments. Horizontal multinationals dominate when the countries are similar in size and in relative endowments, and trade costs are moderate to high. In some cases, foreign investment or trade liberalization leads to a reversal in the direction of trade. Investment liberalization can also lead to an increase in the volume of trade and produces a strong tendency toward factor-price equalization. Thus direct investment can be a complement to trade in both a volume-of-trade sense and in a welfare sense.

La peche artisanale maritime en Cote d'Ivoire: le potentiel de peche

The marine artisanal fishery in Ivory Coast covers all the continental shelf, with high activities around Abidjan and San-Pedro. Four types of fishing tackles are recorded: purse seines, beach seines, gillnets and lines. The first three ones are used by Fanti and Awran, who represent three quarters of total artisanal fishermen; lines are used by Ghan, Aladjan and Nanakrou. Canoe, the only artisanal way of navigation, varies in size and shape according to the different fishing communities

Caractérisation physico-chimique de l’eau des noix matures de nouveaux hybrides améliorés de cocotiers (Cocos nucifera L.) grands

Des hybrides améliorés de cocotiers grands ont été créés par la Station de recherche Marc Delorme en vue de satisfaire les préférences des grosses noix des acteurs de la filière cocotier. Cependant ils demeurent encore peu étudiés. Le présent travail évalue les caractéristiques physicochimiques de l’eau des noix matures de ces nouveaux hybrides en vue d’en proposer des voies de valorisation. Les travaux portent sur des noix âgées de treize mois (rang 25) d’hybrides de cocotiers grands GPY+ x GOA+, GPY+ x GRL+ et GRL+ x GOA+ en comparaison avec l’hybride PB121+, pris comme témoin. La masse des noix entières et de l’eau de coco ont été déterminés moins de 24 h après la récolte des noix de coco. Puis des échantillons d’eau de coco ont été prélevés et conservés à -15 °C avant leurs caractérisations. Les résultats ont montré que l’eau de coco mature est plus abondante et plus acide chez les hybrides améliorés de cocotiers grands que chez le PB121+. Parmi les trois hybrides grands améliorés, GRL+ x GOA+ fournit l’eau de coco mature la plus pourvue en cendres (0,49%). Les hybrides GPY+ x GOA+ et GPY+ x GRL+ renferment plus de sucres (29,37 et 28,09 mg/ml) et de polyphénols (58,11 et 65,49 ppm). Il ressort de ces études que l’eau des noix matures de ces hybrides pourrait être utilisée pour la production d’alcool éthylique et de vinaigre.Mots clés : Valorisation, eau de coco, caractéristiques, vinaigre, alcool, Côte d’Ivoir

Laboratory study of the biology and behaviour of Diplonychus sp (Belostomatidae) and its vector competence in the transmission to humans of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the pathogen causing Buruli ulcer in Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa).

Buruli ulcer is a skin infection caused by a mycobacterium occurring in the environment, Mycobacterium ulcerans.  Ranked third in terms of number of mycobacterial infections after leprosy and tuberculosis, its epidemiology is the most poorly understood of the three. Humans are infected through the skin while performing daily living activities (e.g. rice cultivation, fish farming, fishing, laundry, fetching water, agricultural work) or leisure activities (e.g. bathing) in endemic areas. The disease is particularly prevalent in West Africa, where the number of cases is increasing annually (2442 cases in 2008). Côte d’Ivoire is the most severely affected country in the world with more than 25 000 cases since 1978. The numerous endemic foci for Buruli ulcer are scattered throughout the country. Over the past four years impressive progress has been made in researching the mode of transmission of M. ulcerans infection. Yet despite this, many questions remain unanswered. In Central and West Africa aquatic insects of the order Hemiptera appear to be involved in the transmission of Buruli ulcer.  It is likely that aquatic Hemiptera play a role.  Studies of the salivary glands of insects that have been experimentally infected and allowed to bite white mice demonstrate the probable role of water bugs as hosts or possible vectors of M. ulcerans. In addition, at least 10% of environmental biological specimens tested positive using PCR in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire. These pterygot insects are also able to fly from one body of water to another over varying distances, attracted by lights in houses near marshy areas. This method of displacement could account for the current progression of the disease in West Africa and particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, where it is spreading northwards from the south, west, east and centre of the country.   Buruli ulcer is not a contagious disease.  It is, however, terrifying and severely disabling.  Patients must spend long periods in hospital, treatment is costly and burdensome, and can lead to social marginalization or even total exclusion; above all, the mode of transmission is still poorly understood.  Local people must therefore be familiarized with preventive measures focusing on identification of the probable vectors of the disease in order to break the chain of transmission of M. ulcerans. This presupposes a sound knowledge of the biology, ecology and behaviour of these potential vectors. Accordingly, we have proceeded to laboratory farm the bug most commonly encountered in the environment that shows the highest rates of infection by M. ulcerans (more than 10%), namely Diplonychus sp of the family Belostomatidae. Adult specimens were collected in the vicinity of fishponds at an experimental station situated between Abidjan and Dabou (a non-endemic site) and subsequently farmed in the laboratory at the Côte d’Ivoire National Institute of Public Health. The parameters used to farm this water bug were standardized in the laboratory (water quality, depth, turbidity, pH, temperature, luminosity, suitable vegetable environment). The insects were fed regularly with mosquito larvae. The embryonic lifespan, the hatching time, the larval period and the number of larval stages prior to adulthood were studied. The adult lifespan was also estimated. Five successive generations of Diplonychus sp were obtained. From egg to adulthood, the larval lifespan is 41 days on average, with deviations from the mean of 29 to 54 days.  Hatching generally took place 7 days after egg laying.  Five larval stages are distinguishable, separated by five metamorphoses.  The lifespan of certain adults obtained in the laboratory varied between 16 and 150 days.  The last original parental specimens survived for 11 months.  Proficiency in the laboratory farming of Diplonychus sp could enable us to decode its genome and collect saliva samples, while also allowing us to perform experimental infections using human strains of M. ulcerans in order to confirm or rule out the involvement of this insect in the transmission of Buruli ulcer in Central and West Africa

Caractéristiques gustatives de l’eau des fruits de quatre cultivars du cocotier (Cocos nucifera L.)

Les caractéristiques gustatives (descriptives et hédoniques) de l’eau des fruits de quatre cultivars du cocotier (Cocos nucifera L.) ont été étudiées au cours de la maturation des noix. Il s’est agi du Grand OuestAfricain, du Nain Jaune de Malaisie, du Nain Vert de Guinée Equatoriale et de l’hybride PB121 amélioré. Les paramètres testés ont été les saveurs (sucrée, salée et acide) et les préférences gustatives. Les résultats obtenus ont montré des interactions significatives entre les cultivars et les stades de maturité pour les paramètres analysés. Ainsi, au cours de la maturation des noix, la saveur sucrée de l’eau de coco est prédominante quel que soit le stade de maturité. Elle est maximale chez les cultivars nains de rang 21 avec des perceptions équivalant à des teneurs en sucres de 5,80 à 6,10%. A maturité, la saveur sucrée de l’eau de coco baisse car les sucres interviennent dans la formation de l’amande. Les résultats des tests hédoniques ont abouti à la préférence de l’eau de coco en fonction de son goût sucré. Ainsi, l’eau des noix immatures des cultivars nains a été la plus appréciée. Cette étude a permis de déterminer les caractéristiques sensorielles de l’eau de coco afin de fournir des indicateurs pour une valorisation technologique efficiente.Mots clés: Eau de coco, tests sensoriels, cultivars, maturation