INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: SUBSTITUTES OR COMPLEMENTS?

International agricultural trade has evolved over time. Processed foods and developing countries have become major growth markets for U.S. agricultural exports, and foreign direct investment (FDI) has become even more important than exports as a means of accessing foreign markets. The critical question is whether FDI is a substitute for or a complement of exports. This research builds upon an existing theoretical FDI model and contributes to the literature through the development of a simultaneous equation system for FDI and exports, which is estimated using two-stage least squares. Empirical analyses were used to examine the relationship between U.S. FDI and exports of processed foods into East Asian countries - China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan - from 1989 to 1998. The results indicated that a complementary relationship between FDI and exports. Additionally, these results indicated that interest rates, exchange rates, gross domestic product (GDP), and compensation rates are important variables that influence U.S. FDI in East Asian countries, while GDP, exchange rates, and export prices are important export determinants.East Asia, exports, foreign direct investment, international trade, processed foods, International Relations/Trade, F47, Q17, C3, F17,

Cooperative activation of IP3 receptors by sequential binding of IP3 and Ca2+ safeguards against spontaneous activity

AbstractBackground: Ca2+ waves allow effective delivery of intracellular Ca2+ signals to cytosolic targets. Propagation of these regenerative Ca2+ signals probably results from the activation of intracellular Ca2+ channels by the increase in cytosolic [Ca2+] that follows the opening of these channels. Such positive feedback is potentially explosive. Mechanisms that limit the spontaneous opening of intracellular Ca2+ channels are therefore likely to have evolved in parallel with the mechanism of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release.Results: Maximal rates of 45Ca2+ efflux from permeabilised hepatocytes superfused with medium in which the [Ca2+] was clamped were cooperatively stimulated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). A minimal interval of ∼400 msec between IP3 addition and the peak rate of Ca2+ mobilisation indicate that channel opening does not immediately follow binding of IP3. Although the absolute latency of Ca2+ release was unaffected by further increasing the IP3 concentration, it was reduced by increased [Ca2+].Conclusions: We propose that the closed conformation of the IP3 receptor is very stable and therefore minimally susceptible to spontaneous activation; at least three (probably four) IP3 molecules may be required to provide enough binding energy to drive the receptor into a stable open conformation. We suggest that a further defence from noise is provided by an extreme form of coincidence detection. Binding of IP3 to each of its four receptor subunits unmasks a site to which Ca2+ must bind before the channel can open. As IP3 binding may also initiate receptor inactivation, there may be only a narrow temporal window during which each receptor subunit must bind both of its agonists if the channel is to open rather than inactivate

Neuropsychological functioning and OROS® methylphenidate in an Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) population

posterObjective: Neuropsychological tests have been used in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to compare ADHD patients with normal subjects, to assess drug-placebo differences in clinical trials and to identify appropriate medication levels via test dose paradigms. While clinical studies have generally been positive1 with moderate effect sizes, outcomes have been inconsistent, particularly in adults. This analysis examined a neurocognitive battery in a sample of adult ADHD subjects during a clinical trial of OROS® methylphenidate (OROS MPH; Concerta®).2 Methods:This 8-week crossover study utilized OROS MPH in 41 subjects who met DSM-IV criteria and the Utah Criteria for ADHD. ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Wender-Reimherr Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (WRAADDS)3 and the ADHD-Rating Scale (ADHD-RS). (The primary efficacy and safety results were previously reported.2) The CNS Vital Signs (CNSVS) is a computer-based neurocognitive battery with tests of Verbal and Visual Memory, Finger Tapping, Symbol Digit Coding (SDC), the Stroop Test, the Shifting Attention Test (SAT), and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). The developer has reported average scores for both normal and ADHD subjects on these tests.4 Baseline scores on this population were compared with the normative data. The impact of treatment (OROS MPH vs placebo) on test scores was assessed via paired t-tests. Results: OROS MPH was superior to placebo for all clinical ADHD measures, including total WRAADDS (44% vs 13% improvement; P=0.001), plus the subscales addressing inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. At baseline, our ADHD patients had CNSVS scores midway between the developer's ADHD and normal samples. However, on errors in the Stroop and CTP commission errors, the ADHD patients scored worse than either comparison group. Although OROS MPH was usually associated with better scores than placebo, this difference only achieved significance for 4 of the tests: SDC number correct (P=0.041), Stroop complex reaction time (P=0.009), SAT number correct (P=0.018), and CPT reaction time (P=0.034). Conclusions: Baseline scores were consistently worse than the test developer's normative data, and endpoint scores on OROS MPH were consistently better than placebo. The tests that reached or approached significance were all test scores that had previously reached significance in test dose paradigms. The longer period between testing in this clinical trial (4 weeks) compared with a test dose paradigm (1 hour) may contribute to the weaker relationship. Conversely, actual clinical trials in adults with ADHD have frequently failed to find drug-placebo differences on cognitive testing

Are data collected to support farm management suitable for monitoring soil indicators at the national scale?

Monitoring of topsoil properties (referred to as indicators) at the national scale has been limited in general to government-funded representative surveys. We consider a cost-effective complementary source of soil information for monitoring agricultural soil across England and Wales (E&W): soil measurements paid for by farmers that we refer to as farmers' data (FD). A potential problem in using FD for soil monitoring is any unattributable sources of bias, such as the sample design. Farmers may choose to focus their measurements (purposively) where they perceive a particular problem. Such a source of bias is avoided in the random sampling adopted by statistically designed surveys, such as the Countryside Survey (CS2007) and LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area frame statistical Survey). We used measurements from 143 000 FD soil samples from a single laboratory to estimate national mean values and confidence intervals of five topsoil indicators (pH, available P (Olsen), K, Mg and organic matter (OM)) across three combinations of nation (England or Wales) and land use (arable and horticulture (A&H) or improved grassland (IG)). We computed mean estimates for FD over two time periods (2004–9 and 2010–2105) and assessed the significance of any change. We compared these estimates with those from representative national surveys to establish whether there was evidence for bias and whether it could be explained. Mean estimates of topsoil pH for the FD and the LUCAS survey (same analytical method) were consistent for both A&H and IG. Although FD estimates of mean Olsen P (OP) concentrations were similar to previous surveys, we show it is likely that the larger mean OP concentrations observed in the LUCAS survey compared with FD for arable topsoil in England are partly due to an attributable source of analytical bias. For such quantifiable sources of bias, it might be possible to adjust estimated mean values from FD. However, FD might also include sources of unattributable bias, such as the effect of purposive sampling. It is important that contemporaneous data from surveys with statistically unbiased designs are available so that we can assess whether unattributable sources exert a significant effect over estimates of mean values computed from FD. Highlights Assessment of farmers' data (FD) to provide a potentially cost-effective way to monitor topsoil indicators. Few studies have compared national-scale estimates of topsoil indicators with survey data from statistically unbiased designs and FD. Bias between mean estimates from national surveys and FD could be accounted for. The denser sampling of FD enables mapping of national survey data with greater accuracy

Emotional dysregulation in adult ADHD and response to atomoxetine

posterABSTRACT Objective: Agreement on the symptoms of adult ADHD remains problematic. The Wender- Reimherr Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (WRAADDS) contains three items which could be considered signs of emotional dysregulation: temper, affective lability and emotional over-reactivity. Previously published data were reexamined to assess: 1) the pervasiveness of these symptoms; 2) if their presence predicted a favorable response to atomoxetine; and 3) was their response to atomoxetine similar to other ADHD symptoms. Method: This placebo-controlled, double-blind study was conducted concurrently at 31 outpatient sites. Patients met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD, confirmed using the Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview. Outcome was assessed using the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) and the WRAADDS. Emotional dysregulation was operationally defined as scores of 7 or more on the three scales. Results: Emotional dysregulation affected 31% of the population. There was a significant interaction between treatment and emotional dysregulation on improvement of the CAARS (p=.031). These emotional factors displayed a treatment effect (p<.001) similar to the CAARS. Conclusions: Patient outcome was related to emotional dysregulation as defined using the WRAADDS. These emotional symptoms showed treatment effects that were statistically significant and similar in size to the traditional signs of hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention. In the past, ADHD was known as MBD and included emotional and personality dimensions. It is uncertain whether these dimensions should be viewed as part of an ADHD spectrum or independent comorbid diagnoses. Recent studies with atomoxetine in adults were carefully designed to exclude other comorbid adult psychiatric diagnoses and used both the CAARS and WRAADDS to assess outcome. Three factors on the WRAADDS appear to measure emotional dysregulation while the other four factors measure DSM-IV criteria. These factors were used to assess the frequency of emotional dysregulation in adult ADHD. We then examined the attributes of these patients and effects of atomoxetine in these patients both on emotional dysregulation and DSM-IV criteria symptoms of ADHD

Distributed hydrological modelling of total dissolved phosphorus transport in an agricultural landscape, part I: distributed runoff generation

International audienceSuccessful implementation of best management practices for reducing non-point source (NPS) pollution requires knowledge of the location of saturated areas that produce runoff. A physically-based, fully-distributed, GIS-integrated model, the Soil Moisture Distribution and Routing (SMDR) model was developed to simulate the hydrologic behavior of small rural upland watersheds with shallow soils and steep to moderate slopes. The model assumes that gravity is the only driving force of water and that most overland flow occurs as saturation excess. The model uses available soil and climatic data, and requires little calibration. The SMDR model was used to simulate runoff production on a 164-ha farm watershed in Delaware County, New York, in the headwaters of New York City water supply. Apart from land use, distributed input parameters were derived from readily available data. Simulated hydrographs compared reasonably with observed flows at the watershed outlet over a eight year simulation period, and peak timing and intensities were well reproduced. Using off-site weather input data produced occasional missed event peaks. Simulated soil moisture distribution agreed well with observed hydrological features and followed the same spatial trend as observed soil moisture contents sampled on four transects. Model accuracy improved when input variables were calibrated within the range of SSURGO-available parameters. The model will be a useful planning tool for reducing NPS pollution from farms in landscapes similar to the Northeastern US

Distributed hydrological modeling of total dissolved phosphorus transport in an agricultural landscape, part II: dissolved phosphorus transport

International audienceReducing non-point source phosphorus (P) loss to drinking water reservoirs is a main concern for New York City watershed planners, and modeling of P transport can assist in the evaluation of agricultural effects on nutrient dynamics. A spatially distributed model of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) loading was developed using raster maps covering a 164-ha dairy farm watershed. Transport of TDP was calculated separately for baseflow and for surface runoff from manure-covered and non-manure-covered areas. Soil test P, simulated rainfall application, and land use were used to predict concentrations of TDP in overland flow from non-manure covered areas. Concentrations in runoff for manure-covered areas were computed from predicted cumulative flow and elapsed time since manure application, using field-specific manure spreading data. Baseflow TDP was calibrated from observed concentrations using a temperature-dependent coefficient. An additional component estimated loading associated with manure deposition on impervious areas, such as barnyards and roadways. Daily baseflow and runoff volumes were predicted for each 10-m cell using the Soil Moisture Distribution and Routing Model (SMDR). For each cell, daily TDP loads were calculated as the product of predicted runoff and estimated TDP concentrations. Predicted loads agreed well with loads observed at the watershed outlet when hydrology was modeled accurately (R2 79% winter, 87% summer). Lack of fit in early spring was attributed to difficulty in predicting snowmelt. Overall, runoff from non-manured areas appeared to be the dominant TDP loading source factor