Literature review on the perception of agro-foods quality cues in the international environment

Consumers look for the highest affordable food quality, given their household budgets and perceptions of product quality. Such perception is however strictly related to culturally linked variables, and the importance attached to each component of the overall quality vary greatly among countries. Different perceptions lead to different purchase decisions. This concept is even clearer for the aspects of quality that cant be tested directly. Consumer goods may be divided into search, experience and credence goods, depending on when the consumer is capable of assessing their quality (before buying, after consuming or in the very long term). Most quality agro-food products, such as food with geographical indications (GIs) and low input food (LIFs), fall into the credence good category. The aim of this paper is to point out how much attention is currently paid in literature (both scientific and popular: articles, papers, reports, marketing studies etc.) to the evaluation of the perceived value of such credence goods attributes for the quality food sector, and which relationships are mainly explored. A special attention will be paid to the situation in China.quality, agro-food, perception, Agribusiness,

Production costs of pears and apples in Xinjiang (China)

China is the most important pear producing country in the world, and one of the most important as far as it concerns apples. Nevertheless, its international role is not so relevant: traded volume in relation to production is relatively small yet growing fast. Xinjiang is a large and mainly deserted region in northwest China that covers one-sixth of China's land. However, thanks to abundant water resources, good lighting conditions and altitude, this area represents an ideal setting for pomefruit production, and has in fact a very long tradition. Unfortunately, due to a disadvantaged location and a poor economy this province do not attract enough capitals, passing unnoticed despite of its valuable resources. Economic analysis are therefore necessary to assess to which extent this market turns out to be approachable. The aim of this paper is to describe in detail the situation of the fruit growing industry in Xinjiang, as far as it concerns two important pomefruit varieties: Xiang Li pear, a local and very appreciated variety, and Fuji apple. After locating the most vocated producing areas for both species and identifying the productive standards, we then proceed on counting up the production costs, using a well-established methodology adapted to the particular situation. The target of the analysis are small and mid-size farms, since they represent the vast majority of the orchards of the area. The costs aggregates are: base orchard management cost (BOMC), farm full cost (FFC) and total production cost (TPC). These aggregates group together costs related to similar productive factors. The picture of the situation outlined by this survey is that of a marginal area, where however fruit growing, compared to other agricultural activities, grants a good income. It also emerges that fruit growers in Xinjiang (and in China), are hardly coming out of a situation of general backwardness, striving to adapt to a larger business mainly through exportation to other provinces. Farms are however mainly familiar and small, and only a few big local enterprises seem to possess the right requirements to give local production the right impetus to reach successfully outside markets.Xiang Li fragrant pear, Fuji apple, Production cost, China, Fruit growing

Attitudes towards Italian wine of practitioners in the Chinese distribution

China’s economy has grown at an impressive rate after the integration into the global trading system (WTO) in 2001, a major turning point in the Chinese economic history. The opening policy has increased business opportunities for both local and foreign operators; however, in spite of the great appeal of such cooperation, many obstacles yet exist: language, culture, education, business practices, and industrial development. Food products supply and access to the market are mastered by a relatively small group of businessmen: international buyers, purchasing agents, retailers and representatives of large-scale distribution chains. The perception they have of a potential source country is a key factor for a successful market approach. The present study aims at understanding the attitudes of distribution practitioners in the Chinese market towards imported Italian quality wine, as well as the current communication, marketing, strategic and organizational advantages or deficiencies of Italian producers, compared to other European counterparts. The primary data were collected through personal interviews with key informants in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. Such information has been completed with an analysis of the existing literature, meetings with sector operators as well as with talks and presentations of experts attending the “International Workshop on Chinese Wine Market”, held in Beijing on August 8-10, 2007. The interviews have been administered as conversation-like dialogues, on the base of a semi-structured interview outline, providing also the framework for a qualitative content analysis. This paper is aimed at giving an insight on import and distribution of Italian wine in China, highlighting both positive and negative feedbacks on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of Italian wine trading companies.wine, international trade, distribution, China, "Made in Italy"

Looking for blazars in a sample of unidentified high-energy emitting Fermi sources

Context. Based on their overwhelming dominance among associated Fermi γ-ray catalogue sources, it is expected that a large fraction of the unidentified Fermi objects are blazars. Through crossmatching between the positions of unidentified γ-ray sources from the First Fermi Catalog of γ-ray sources emitting above 10 GeV (1FHL) and the ROSAT and Swift/XRT catalogues of X-ray objects and between pointed XRT observations, a sample of 36 potential associations was found in previous works with less than 15 arcsec of positional offset. One-third of them have recently been classified; the remainder, though believed to belong to the blazar class, still lack spectroscopic classifications. Aims. We study the optical spectrum of the putative counterparts of these unidentified gamma-ray sources in order to find their redshifts and to determine their nature and main spectral characteristics. Methods. An observational campaign was carried out on the putative counterparts of 13 1FHL sources using medium-resolution optical spectroscopy from the Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna in Loiano, Italy; the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo and the Nordic Optical Telescope, both in the Canary Islands, Spain; and the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional San Pedro Mártir in Baja California, Mexico. Results. We were able to classify 14 new objects based on their continuum shapes and spectral features. Conclusions. Twelve new blazars were found, along with one new quasar and one new narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) to be potentially associated with the 1FHL sources of our sample. Redshifts or lower limits were obtained when possible alongside central black hole mass and luminosity estimates for the NLS1 and the quasar.Fil: Marchesini, Ezequiel Joaquín. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Masetti, Nicola. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Chavushyan, V.. Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica; MéxicoFil: Cellone, Sergio Aldo. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Andruchow, Ileana. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Bassani, L.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Bazzano, A.. Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali; ItaliaFil: Jiménez-Bailón, E.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Landi, R.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Malizia, A.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Palazzi, E.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Patiño Álvarez, V.. Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica; MéxicoFil: Rodríguez Castillo, G. A.. Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma; ItaliaFil: Stephen, J. B.. Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna; ItaliaFil: Ubertini, P.. Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali; Itali

Sphingomyelin is synthesized at the plasma membrane of oligodendrocytes and by purified myelin membranes: a study with fluorescent- and radio-labelled ceramide analogues

AbstractIn most cell types sphingomyelin is synthesized predominantly in the cis-medial compartments of the Golgi stacks whereas the contribution of the plasma membrane is much lower. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of both compartments to the synthesis of sphingomyelin in myelinating cells. Therefore, oligodendrocytes from rat spinal cord were incubated in culture with fluorescently- or radiolabelled ceramides, and the effects of a block in the vesicular flow (monensin, brefeldin A, low temperature) on surface synthesis of sphingomyelin were evaluated. The results indicate that ≈50% of the sphingomyelin synthase is present at the plasma and myelin membranes of oligodendrocytes

Optical flux behaviour of a sample of Fermi blazars

Aims. We aim at investigating the time-behaviour of a sample of gamma-ray blazars. We present the results from a 13 month-long optical photometry monitoring campaign of the blazars PKS 0048-097, PKS 0754+100, [HB89] 0827+243, PKS 0851+202, PKS 1253-055, PKS 1510-089, PKS 1749+096, PKS 2230+114 and PKS 2251+158. Methods. We analyse the variability of each object, focusing on different time-scales (long term, short term, and microvariability), in an attempt to achieve a statistical comparison of the results. Results. After applying a geometric model to explain the variability results, we found that it is possible that a slight change in the direction of the jet generates the variations detected in some objects during this campaign.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Optical flux behaviour of a sample of Fermi blazars

Aims. We aim at investigating the time-behaviour of a sample of gamma-ray blazars. We present the results from a 13 month-long optical photometry monitoring campaign of the blazars PKS 0048-097, PKS 0754+100, [HB89] 0827+243, PKS 0851+202, PKS 1253-055, PKS 1510-089, PKS 1749+096, PKS 2230+114 and PKS 2251+158. Methods. We analyse the variability of each object, focusing on different time-scales (long term, short term, and microvariability), in an attempt to achieve a statistical comparison of the results. Results. After applying a geometric model to explain the variability results, we found that it is possible that a slight change in the direction of the jet generates the variations detected in some objects during this campaign.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Looking for blazars in a sample of unidentified high-energy emitting Fermi sources

Context. Based on their overwhelming dominance among associated Fermi γ-ray catalogue sources, it is expected that a large fraction of the unidentified Fermi objects are blazars. Through crossmatching between the positions of unidentified γ-ray sources from the First Fermi Catalog of γ-ray sources emitting above 10 GeV (1FHL) and the ROSAT and Swift/XRT catalogues of X-ray objects and between pointed XRT observations, a sample of 36 potential associations was found in previous works with less than 15 arcsec of positional offset. One-third of them have recently been classified; the remainder, though believed to belong to the blazar class, still lack spectroscopic classifications. Aims. We study the optical spectrum of the putative counterparts of these unidentified gamma-ray sources in order to find their redshifts and to determine their nature and main spectral characteristics. Methods. An observational campaign was carried out on the putative counterparts of 13 1FHL sources using medium-resolution optical spectroscopy from the Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna in Loiano, Italy; the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo and the Nordic Optical Telescope, both in the Canary Islands, Spain; and the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional San Pedro Mártir in Baja California, Mexico. Results. We were able to classify 14 new objects based on their continuum shapes and spectral features. Conclusions. Twelve new blazars were found, along with one new quasar and one new narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) to be potentially associated with the 1FHL sources of our sample. Redshifts or lower limits were obtained when possible alongside central black hole mass and luminosity estimates for the NLS1 and the quasar.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y GeofísicasInstituto de Astrofísica de La Plat

Correction of metachromatic leukodystrophy in the mouse model by transplantation of genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells

Gene-based delivery can establish a sustained supply of therapeutic proteins within the nervous system. For diseases characterized by extensive CNS and peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement, widespread distribution of the exogenous gene may be required, a challenge to in vivo gene transfer strategies. Here, using lentiviral vectors (LVs), we efficiently transduced hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) ex vivo and evaluated the potential of their progeny to target therapeutic genes to the CNS and PNS of transplanted mice and correct a neurodegenerative disorder, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). We proved extensive repopulation of CNS microglia and PNS endoneurial macrophages by transgene-expressing cells. Intriguingly, recruitment of these HSC-derived cells was faster and more robust in MLD mice. By transplanting HSCs transduced with the arylsulfatase A gene, we fully reconstituted enzyme activity in the hematopoietic system of MLD mice and prevented the development of motor conduction impairment, learning and coordination deficits, and neuropathological abnormalities typical of the disease. Remarkably, ex vivo gene therapy had a significantly higher therapeutic impact than WT HSC transplantation, indicating a critical role for enzyme overexpression in the HSC progeny. These results indicate that transplantation of LV-transduced autologous HSCs represents a potentially efficacious therapeutic strategy for MLD and possibly other neurodegenerative disorders

Optical flux behaviour of a sample of Fermi blazars

Aims. We aim at investigating the time-behaviour of a sample of gamma-ray blazars. We present the results from a 13 month-long optical photometry monitoring campaign of the blazars PKS 0048-097, PKS 0754+100, [HB89] 0827+243, PKS 0851+202, PKS 1253-055, PKS 1510-089, PKS 1749+096, PKS 2230+114 and PKS 2251+158. Methods. We analyse the variability of each object, focusing on different time-scales (long term, short term, and microvariability), in an attempt to achieve a statistical comparison of the results. Results. After applying a geometric model to explain the variability results, we found that it is possible that a slight change in the direction of the jet generates the variations detected in some objects during this campaign.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica