Managing Irrigation Risk with Inflow-Based Derivatives: The Case of Rio Mayo Irrigation District in Sonora, Mexico

Uncertain reservoir inflows represent a major source of risk for irrigated agriculture. A derivative instrument that uses reservoir inflows as the underlying variable is designed and tested with a recursive stochastic simulation of the Rio Mayo irrigations system. The results indicate that the instrument effectively protects against downside risk.Risk and Uncertainty,

An Empirical Evaluation of Irrigation Insurance for Agricultural Systems in the Mexican Northwest

Prototype inflow-based derivative contracts are designed to hedge irrigation risk in the Rio Mayo Valley of Sonora, Mexico. The results indicate that an 18-month contract is feasible given the specific characteristics of the region selected for the study.Risk and Uncertainty,

Use of Urinary Pregnanediol 3-glucuronide to Confirm Ovulation

Objective Urinary hormonal markers may assist in increasing the efficacy of Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABM). This study uses urinary pregnanediol-3a-glucuronide (PDG) testing to more accurately identify the infertile phase of the menstrual cycle in the setting of FABM. Methods Secondary analysis of an observational and simulation study, multicentre, European study. The study includes 107 women and tracks daily first morning urine (FMU), observed the changes in cervical mucus discharge, and ultrasonography to identify the day of ovulation over 326 menstrual cycles. The following three scenarios were tested: (A) use of the daily pregnandiol-3a-glucuronide (PDG) test alone; (B) use of the PDG test after the first positive urine luteinizing hormone (LH) kit result; (C) use of the PDG test after the disappearance of fertile type mucus. Two models were used: (1) one day of PDG positivity; or (2) waiting for three days of PDG positivity before declaring infertility. Results After the first positivity of a LH test or the end of fertile mucus, three consecutive days of PDG testing over a threshold of 5 μg/mL resulted in a 100% specificity for ovulation confirmation. They were respectively associated an identification of an average of 6.1 and 7.6 recognized infertile days. Conclusions The results demonstrate a clinical scenario with 100% specificity for ovulation confirmation and provide the theoretical background for a future development of a competitive lateral flow assay for the detection of PDG in the urine

Surveillance studies of Lymphocystis disease virus in farmed gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) by real-time PCR

Lymphocystis disease (LCD) is the main viral infection reported to affect cultured gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) in Southern Atlantic and Mediterranean aquaculture. Its etiological agent is the Lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV), a member of the family Iridoviridae (genus Lymphocystivirus). The only adequate measures for LCD prevention in the aquaculture systems are general prophylactic practices, such as the control of fish to be introduced in the farm facilities in order to detect carrier fish. These animals may pose a risk for the introduction of LCDV in fish farms, as direct contact between fish specimens is considered the main route of LCDV spreading. More recently, asymptomatic carrier breeders, as well as virus contaminated-live food, have been involved in LCDV transmission to fish larvae. The detection of subclinical viral infections in carrier fish requires the use of sensitive diagnostic methods. In this context, the objective of this study was to establish the applicability of a real-time PCR assay for LCDV diagnosis in surveillance studies. In addition, the assay has been evaluated with samples from a gilthead seabream hatchery, in order to prove its utility to trace the origin of LCDV in fish farms. Juvenile fish were collected at four farms with different background regarding to LCD. LCDV was detected in all farms, and 30 to 100% of fish were identified as LCDV-infected. Estimated viral load in caudal fin of asymptomatic fish was two to five orders of magnitude lower than in diseased fish. Carrier fish were also identified in the broodstock from a farm with LCD records by analysing caudal fin samples by qPCR. In this farm, the q-PCR assay developed in this study allowed the quantitative detection of LCDV in all samples collected in the hatchery, including fertilized eggs, larvae and fingerlings, and also rotifer cultures and artemia metanauplii and cysts used for larval rearing.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Generalized commutation relations and Non linear momenta theories, a close relationship

A revision of generalized commutation relations is performed, besides a description of Non linear momenta realization included in some DSR theories. It is shown that these propositions are closely related, specially we focus on Magueijo Smolin momenta and Kempf et al. and L.N. Chang generalized commutators. Due to this, a new algebra arises with its own features that is also analyzed.Comment: accepted version in IJMP

Simulation of a solar funnel cooker using MATLAB

A software for the calculation of the radiation heat transfer in solar funnel cookers by means of the radiosity method has been developed in Matlab. The software has been used to study a folding solar cooker. The cooker geometry is discretized using a triangular mesh where a piecewise constant approximation is assumed for the radiosity function. Form factors, including self-occlusions, are calculated by properly refining the triangular mesh. The concentration factor of the solar cooker is estimated as a function of its position and orientation with respect to that of the Sun.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Una mirada género sensitiva a los derechos humanos y al interés superior de la persona menor de edad en el sistema de justicia penal juvenil, en el Juzgado Penal Juvenil de San José, durante el año 2006

Trabajo Final de Graduación para la Maestría en Estudio de la Violencia Social y Familiar compuesto de 197 páginas en formato PDF.El proceso de elaboración de este trabajo tiene como objetivo central el determinar desde un enfoque de Derechos Humanos con Perspectiva de Género, la inconsistencia al cumplimiento del Principio Rector Interés Superior de las personas menores de edad. Para ello, se analizaron once procesos judiciales tramitados en el Juzgado Penal Juvenil de San José, durante el año 2006. Lo anterior adquiere sentido, a partir de la revisión de los respectivos expedientes, y se ve reflejada en las voces de las personas menores de edad entrevistadas y entrevistados y de los y las participantes en el grupo focal. Así como de la valiosas información y reflexiones señaladas por expertos y expertas en la materia Penal Juvenil. En lo referente a la intervención de las instituciones del Estado, obligados por ley al abordaje de la materia hacia las personas menores de edad. Se contó con la colaboración de las y los operadores de justicia. De manera que se identifican, puntos de vista adultocéntricas y sexistas, contrarios con el Principio del Interés Superior de las personas menores de edad, y con el ordenamiento jurídico tanto nacional como internacional. Estos planteamientos se relacionan con el Enfoque de Género y Derechos Humanos. Desde el enfoque cualitativo utilizando un método de triangulación de la información. Este trabajo pretende revelar la insatisfacción de las personas menores de edad víctimas que acuden al sistema de justicia, así como la incapacidad institucional detectada para dar respuesta inmediata al interés superior del menor de edad.Universidad Estatal a Distancia de Costa Ric