MONOPSONY POWER IN MULTIPLE INPUT MARKETS: A Nonparametric Approach

Cigarette manufacturers' monopsony power exertion in procuring domestic and imported tobacco is investigated using nonparametric methods. While it is often assumed that tobacco program rents are captured by growers, results indicate the opposite actually occurs. Cigarette manufacturers appear to exert significant monopsony power in the domestic leaf tobacco market and capture a large portion of program rents. Cigarette manufacturers appear to exert monopsony power of much smaller magnitude in the international leaf tobacco market, but with increasing magnitude in more recent years.market power, tobacco, nonparametric, monopsony, imports., International Relations/Trade, L1,

High Performance Co-Polyimide Synthesis for Cosmic Radiation Shielding

Space radiation continues to be a problem for sustained space travel, harming humans and sensitive machinery. Overcoming this barrier is crucial to NASA’s goals for manned missions to asteroids and Mars. Therefore, more research is needed in order to safely protect our missions. Passive shielding through high performance polymers shows promise in providing lightweight shielding and strength for spacecraft. This thesis focused on the novel synthesis of aromatic, hydrogen rich co-polyimides. It was shown that through thermal co-polymerization, favorable physical and chemical properties increased due to the presence of branching and/or crosslinking chains in the polymer matrix

DISTINGUISHING THE SOURCE OF MARKET POWER: AN APPLICATION TO CIGARETTE MANUFACTURING

We compare nonparametric and nonstructural market power tests using data from the cigarette manufacturing industry. Tests are implemented to examine both monopoly and monopsony power exertion by cigarette manufacturers. Results indicate that market power in the tobacco industry, previously attributed to monopoly power exertion, should at least in part be attributed to monopsony market power in the upstream tobacco market.market power, nonparametric, nonstructural, monopsony, monopoly, cigarette manufacturing, Agribusiness,

Assessing Bottlenecks in Vertically Organized Beef Systems

Agribusiness,

Sexual selection in mushroom-forming basidiomycetes

We expect that sexual selection may play an important role in the evolution of mushroom-forming basidiomycete fungi. Although these fungi do not have separate sexes, they do play female and male roles: the acceptance and the donation of a nucleus, respectively. The primary mycelium (monokaryon) of basidiomycete fungi, growing from a germinating sexual spore, is hermaphroditic, but it loses female function upon the acceptance of a second nucleus. The resulting dikaryon with two different nuclei in each cell retains a male potential as both nuclei can fertilize receptive mycelia. We tested the occurrence of sexual selection in the model species of mushroom-forming basidiomycetes, Schizophyllum commune, by pairing monokaryons with fully compatible dikaryons. In most pairings, we found a strong bias for one of the two nuclei although both were compatible with the monokaryon when paired alone. This shows that sexual selection can occur in mushroom-forming basidiomycetes. Since the winning nucleus of a dikaryon occasionally varied depending on the receiving monokaryon, we infer that sexual selection can operate through choosiness of the receiving individual (analogous to female choice). However, in other cases the same nucleus won, irrespective of the receiving monokaryon, suggesting that competition between the two nuclei of the donating mycelium (analogous to male–male competition) might also play a role

Weaber Plain hydrogeology: preliminary results

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain. Construction of the M2 supply channel connecting the ORIA and Weaber Plain, and the final period of irrigation design, environmental management and related approval processes commenced later in 2009. This process followed a protracted period of public and private industry planning and environmental assessment (Kinhill 2000). As a part of the environmental planning and approvals process, the WA Government was required to prepare a groundwater management plan and a hydrodynamic plan. These plans were to address potential issues of salinity and water quality that may result from developing the proposed farmlands

Reviews

The following publications have been reviewed by the mentioned authors;Design Assignments for GCSE and Standard Grade by Jeff Nocholls, reviewed by Bob BoothDesign and Communication for Foundation Courses by Peter Gowers, reviewed by Peter ToftThe Celtic Art Source Book by Courtney Davis, reviewed by Rosemary BoothThe World of Plastics by the British Plastics Federation, reviewed by George RaperIllumination: A Source Book for Modern Calligraphers by Christopher Jarman, reviewed by John LancasterCraft, Design and Technology. Materials: Investigation and Choice. A database for pupil use by David Barles, Simon Powell, Sheila Nelmes and Adrienne Jones, reviewed by David BarlexDesign in Context by Penny Sparke, reviewed by John H. CarswellDesignwise 2 by N. McLean, reviewed by H. G. DentonAirbrushing the Human Form by Andy Charlesworth, reviewed by S. W. GarnerDouglas Scott by Johnathan Glancey, reviewed by K. J. McAule

Groundwater trend analysis and salinity risk assessment for the south-west agricultural region of Western Australia, 2007–12

Dryland salinity is a hydrologically driven land degradation hazard in the south-west agricultural region of Western Australia (WA). Shallow-rooted annual crops and pastures transpire significantly less water than the native vegetation they replaced, leading to an increase in recharge, rising groundwater levels and the development of shallow watertables in areas where often none existed previously. Rising groundwater levels mobilise soluble salts, naturally stored at high concentrations in the regolith. These salts can be concentrated in the root zone of vegetation by evapotranspiration