Lab and life: Does risky choice behaviour observed in experiments reflect that in the real world?

Risk preferences play a crucial role in a great variety of economic decisions. Measuring risk preferences reliably is therefore an important challenge. In this paper we ask the question whether risk preferences observed in economic experiments reflect real-life risky choice behaviour. We investigate in a sample representative for a rural region of eastern Uganda whether pursuing farming strategies with both a higher expected profit and greater variance of profits is associated with willingness to take risks in an experiment. Controlling for other determinants of risk-taking in agriculture, we find that risky choice behaviour in the experiment is correlated with risky choice behaviour in real life in one domain, i.e. the purchase of fertiliser, but not in other domains, i.e. the growing of cash crops and market-orientation more broadly. Our findings suggest that economic experiments may be good at capturing real-world risky choice behaviour that is narrowly bracketed

Risk and development: an experimental study of insurance demand and risky decision making in rural Uganda

Uninsured risk leaves poor households in developing countries vulnerable to serious negative shocks hard to cope with, and forces them to engage in costly risk management strategies to hedge against their occurrence. Although mutual support networks have long existed, they are ill-suited to protect against covariate or catastrophic risks. Grounded in a strong rationale, insurance has however failed to fulfil its potential, plagued by serious informational and enforcement problems. Nevertheless, in recent years a new form of index-based insurance has arisen as a promising instrument to deliver formal coverage, overcoming the mentioned issues through its particular design. Yet index insurance is not without problems, its key limitation is the imperfect correlation between index and losses (i.e. basis risk), a problem that partially explains the low demand it has been met with. Some recent papers argue that informal risk sharing can complement the coverage of index insurance, by partially absorbing basis risk. However, the possibility that pre-existing risk-sharing arrangements hamper formal insurance uptake cannot be dismissed. To shed light on this relationship and the future of index insurance, the paper investigates how the provision of formal insurance interacts with pre-existing risk-sharing arrangements, employing experimental evidence from a rural area in eastern Uganda. We contribute by varying exogenously actual risk sharing-to study its effect on insurance demand-and insurance characteristics-to test whether this effect varies depending on the type of insurance. In addition, we investigate the influence that the provision of formal insurance exerts on risk sharing behaviour. We find that anticipated informal risk sharing crowds out demand for index insurance, but does not affect indemnity insurance uptake. This result is partly explained by the risk sharing behaviour observed

Modelling and control design for SHARON/Anammox reactor sequence

With the perspective of investigating a suitable control design for autotrophic nitrogen removal, this work presents a complete model of the SHARON/Anammox reactor sequence. The dynamics of the reactor were explored pointing out the different scales of the rates in the system: slow microbial metabolism against fast chemical reaction and mass transfer. Likewise, the analysis of the dynamics contributed to establish qualitatively the requirements for control of the reactors, both for regulation and for optimal operation. Work in progress on quantitatively analysing different control structure (pairing of controlled variables with manipulated variables) as well as exploring the feasibility of advanced process control including model predictive control

The influence of skull shape modularity on internal skull structures: a 3D-Pilot study using bears

In order to capture the phenotypic variation of the internal skull structures, such as the sinuses or the brain, it is necessary to perform CT scans in a large number of specimens, which is difficult and expensive. Therefore, while the external morphology of the mammalian cranium has been the subject of many morphometric studies, the internal structures of the cranium have been comparatively less studied. Here, we explore how the variation of external shape reflects the morphology of internal structures. We use the family Ursidae (Carnivora, Mammalia) as a case study because bears have a wide variability of cranial morphologies in part associated with different trophic ecologies. To do this, we digitized a set of landmarks in 3D with a Microscribe G2X from the external surface of the cranium in a wide sample of bears. Additionally, the crania of seven bear species were CT-scanned and prepared digitally to visualize the 3D models of the external cranium morphology and of internal structures. Subsequently, we divided the landmarks into two modules, splanchnocranium and neurocranium, and we perform a two-block partial least squares analysis (2B PLS) to explore the intraspecific (static) morphological changes associated with the covariation between them. These morphological changes were visualized using the morphing technique with the 3D models, looking at both the external shape and the internal structures. In addition, we inferred the volume of the sinuses and of the brain in each hypothetical model. Our results show that the first two PLS axes are associated externally with changes in the basicranial angle, face length and cranium height and width. Concerning the internal structures, there are parallel changes in dorso-ventral and medio-lateral expansion of sinuses and brain, accompanied by their corresponding changes in volume. In contrast, the third PLS axis is related to opposite changes in the volume of sinuses and brain. These preliminary results suggest that the opposite relationship between sinuses and brain volumes in the bear cranium is not as evident as expected, at least at intraspecific level.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Quantification based on dimensionless dendrometry and drying of residual biomass from the pruning of orange trees in Bolivar province (Ecuador)

[EN] In this work, a new approach to evaluating the amount of residual biomass obtained from orange trees based on normalization of variables is proposed for Bolivar province, Ecuador. So far, several models to quantify the amount of residues obtained from pruning have been proposed from dendrometric and cultivation variables, such as height, crown diameter, stem diameter, area per plant, yield, and age. However, the high dispersion of their values, caused by uncontrolled conditions, gave models with a low-medium coeffi cient of determination. The aim of this work has been to develop several models in order to predict wet available biomass using dimensionless dendrometric parameters from height, diameter and height of the crown, and the stem height. They improved the coeffi cients of determination to 0.94 for the global mathematical model. The drying process of pruned materials has also been analyzed. Residual biomass with 50% initial moisture content was dried outdoors on cement and agricultural soil until it reached constant moisture content. Models used to describe the drying process of agricultural products were employed to fi t the observed data of the drying process of orange tree chips. Among the tested models, the Midili and Page models were those that best fi tted the observed data in the drying process. The information offered by these equations is of vital importance because they help estimate the amount of biomass that is generated in a given area, and the implementation geographic information system (GIS) maps. In addition, logistic algorithms can be applied.This research work has been carried out within the cooperation frame funded by the ADSIDEO program of Centro de Cooperacion al Desarrollo (CCD) of Universidad Politecnica de Valencia (Spain), in collaboration with the Centro de Estudios de la Biomasa (CEB), Universidad Estatal de Bolivar, Guaranda, Ecuador. The participation of Dr Sergio Perez in this work was possible by funding from the Ecuadorian government by means of PROMETEO program, led by the Secretaria Nacional de Educacion Superior, Ciencia y Tecnologia (SENESCYT).Velázquez Martí, B.; Gaibor-Chavez, J.; Perez-Pacheco, S. (2016). Quantification based on dimensionless dendrometry and drying of residual biomass from the pruning of orange trees in Bolivar province (Ecuador). Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. 10(2):175-186. doi:10.1002/bbb.1635S175186102Villena-Izurieta NP 2015 http://www.eumed.net/cursecon/ecolat/ec/2015/matriz-productiva.htmlGuardiola, J. L., Monerri, C., & Agusti, M. (1982). The inhibitory effect of gibberellic acid on flowering in Citrus. Physiologia Plantarum, 55(2), 136-142. doi:10.1111/j.1399-3054.1982.tb02276.xSartori, I. A., Koller, O. C., Theisen, S., Souza, P. V. D. de, Bender, R. J., & Marodin, G. A. B. (2007). Efeito da poda, raleio de frutos e uso de fitorreguladores na produção de tangerinas (Citrus deliciosa Tenore) cv. montenegrina. Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura, 29(1), 5-10. doi:10.1590/s0100-29452007000100004Nesbitt, M. L., Ebel, R. C., & Dozier, W. A. (2008). Production Practices for Satsuma Mandarins in the Southeastern United States. HortScience, 43(2), 290-292. doi:10.21273/hortsci.43.2.290B. Velázquez Martí, & E. Fernández González. (2010). The Influence of Mechanical Pruning in Cost Reduction, Production of Fruit, and Biomass Waste in Citrus Orchards. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 26(4), 531-540. doi:10.13031/2013.32056Velázquez-Martí, B., Fernández-González, E., López-Cortés, I., & Salazar-Hernández, D. M. (2011). Quantification of the residual biomass obtained from pruning of vineyards in Mediterranean area. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35(8), 3453-3464. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.04.009Velázquez-Martí, B., Fernández-González, E., López-Cortés, I., & Salazar-Hernández, D. M. (2011). Quantification of the residual biomass obtained from pruning of trees in Mediterranean olive groves. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35(7), 3208-3217. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.04.042PELEG, M. (1988). An Empirical Model for the Description of Moisture Sorption Curves. Journal of Food Science, 53(4), 1216-1217. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1988.tb13565.xVeraverbeke, E. A., Verboven, P., Scheerlinck, N., Lan Hoang, M., & Nicolaı̈, B. M. (2003). Determination of the diffusion coefficient of tissue, cuticle, cutin and wax of apple. Journal of Food Engineering, 58(3), 285-294. doi:10.1016/s0260-8774(02)00387-4Bayram, M., Kaya, A., & Öner, M. D. (2004). Changes in properties of soaking water during production of soy-bulgur. Journal of Food Engineering, 61(2), 221-230. doi:10.1016/s0260-8774(03)00094-3Midilli, A., & Kucuk, H. (2003). Mathematical modeling of thin layer drying of pistachio by using solar energy. Energy Conversion and Management, 44(7), 1111-1122. doi:10.1016/s0196-8904(02)00099-7B. Velazquez-Marti, & E. Annevelink. (2009). GIS Application to Define Biomass Collection Points as Sources for Linear Programming of Delivery Networks. Transactions of the ASABE, 52(4), 1069-1078. doi:10.13031/2013.27776Annevelink E de Mol RM 2007Diekema WH De Mol RM Annevelink E Elbersen HW 2005Velazquez-Marti, B., & Fernandez-Gonzalez, E. (2010). Mathematical algorithms to locate factories to transform biomass in bioenergy focused on logistic network construction. Renewable Energy, 35(9), 2136-2142. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2010.02.011Spinelli, R., & Picchi, G. (2010). Industrial harvesting of olive tree pruning residue for energy biomass. Bioresource Technology, 101(2), 730-735. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2009.08.039Spinelli, R., Magagnotti, N., & Nati, C. (2010). Harvesting vineyard pruning residues for energy use. Biosystems Engineering, 105(3), 316-322. doi:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2009.11.011Di Blasi, C., Tanzi, V., & Lanzetta, M. (1997). A study on the production of agricultural residues in Italy. Biomass and Bioenergy, 12(5), 321-331. doi:10.1016/s0961-9534(96)00073-6Estornell, J., Ruiz, L. A., Velázquez-Martí, B., & Fernández-Sarría, A. (2011). Estimation of shrub biomass by airborne LiDAR data in small forest stands. Forest Ecology and Management, 262(9), 1697-1703. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.07.026Estornell, J., Ruiz, L. A., Velázquez-Martí, B., & Hermosilla, T. (2012). Estimation of biomass and volume of shrub vegetation using LiDAR and spectral data in a Mediterranean environment. Biomass and Bioenergy, 46, 710-721. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2012.06.023Ruiz, L. A. (2012). Assessment of factors affecting shrub volume estimations using airborne discrete-return LiDAR data in Mediterranean areas. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, 6(1), 063544. doi:10.1117/1.jrs.6.063544Estornell, J., Ruiz, L. A., Velázquez-Martí, B., López-Cortés, I., Salazar, D., & Fernández-Sarría, A. (2015). Estimation of pruning biomass of olive trees using airborne discrete-return LiDAR data. Biomass and Bioenergy, 81, 315-321. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2015.07.01

Alometrías intertaxónicas y ontogenéticas entre el área del septo y el volumen del fragmocono en cefalopodos con concha espiral actuales y extintos

La interpretación funcional del replegamiento periférico de los septos de los ammonoideos constituye todo un reto dada la inexistencia de representantes actuales del grupo y, por consiguiente, la imposibilidad de experimentación directa. Por tal motivo las líneas de evidencia se han de basar en gran medida en comparaciones con otros cefalópodos camerados actuales. En este trabajo se comparan las alometrías ontogenéticas que siguen el área septal respecto al volumen del fragmocono en cefalópodos con concha espiral (interna o externa) con las obtenidas para ammonoideos adultos del Jurásico tardío. Las similitudes entre los coeficientes alométricos indican que el aumento de superficie que supone replegar los septos no aparenta ser muy diferente en las primeras etapas del crecimiento de los ammonoideos del de otros cefalópodos con concha espiral. Por el contrario, las discrepancias con los coeficientes alométricos para los ammonoideos adultos parecen apuntar a que la complejidad septal no se alcanza por una mera extrapolación de la ontogenia.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech